Tzedakah by Harry

Charity vs. Tzedakah:

Charity is given from the heart and willingly only when one feels generous and voluntarily. But what happens when you don’t feel like donating? What happens then? Do the hungry starve? Do the poor get clothed? Will the ill get sicker? What about those poor little babies who are left in garbage bins to feed off the trash or are left out in the rain because the baby’s parent(s) cannot afford or cannot take care of them? Huh? What happens then? When will they next get a donation? How are they going to take care of themselves until then?

How are they going to survive? On Tzedakah! Jewish religion says that Tzedakah has nothing to do with emotions or how you are feeling. Generous or not. All we know is that someone is getting that money and your help. So donate today!

No matter how old, young, or religion you (yes you) are, you can still donate to a Tzedakah or something like that to help those in need. Now that baby can grow up to be a successful adult, or that beggar on the street that you see daily, can stop begging for quite a while if you just donate.




Levels of Tzedakah:

Moses Maimonides was aka known as Rambam had broken down Tzedakah into 8 levels. Level 1 is giving, but not wanting to. For example taxes. That goes to support our community right? The 2nd level is giving a lot but less than you can afford to give. Say you win $1,000 in the lottery. You only give like maybe $70 or so. That would be considered to be the second level. Level #3 is giving what you can afford to give, but only after being asked to donate to that cause.

Level numero 4 is giving before being asked by someone to donate. Level cinq (5) is Giving without knowing the receiver of the money, but the receiver knows you. An example is Baron de Rothschild sending generous amounts of money to Israel in its time of need. Level 6 is giving without the receiver knowing who you are like a secret admirer gift. Level 7 is giving to an anonymous person and the person not knowing you. Like giving a poor person on the street some money. Level 8 is the biggest type of Tzedakah there is according to Moses. Level 8 is helping someone to support himself like getting him a job or teach him how to fish for example so he can feed and clothe himself or by giving him a gift or a loan to get back on track to his better life.


Can kids perform Tzedakah?

Yes everyone can perform Tzedakah, children especially. If taught at an early age, they will hopefully grow up being very kind and generous. One way is to have a Tzedakah box placed in a place where everyone can find it and donate to it. Another way is work for a public community centre and volunteer for many jobs to help our community.

My favorite way is to organize a fund raising event; such as getting together with some friends and search each house for items that nobody needs anymore and sell them at a garage sale. You can then either donate a certain percent (say 15% or more) to a Tzedakah fund or your local synagogue and you can also donate all your money to a hospital or a charity.

Another way is to have a raffle or a guess how many jellybeans (kosher of course!) or Hershey kisses or whatever is in the jar.

So yes, kids can perform Tzedakah in more ways than you think.



How should Tzedakah be given?

As I mentioned in Levels of Tzedakah, Tzedakah should be given by helping someone to find a job or teach him how to fish or by giving anonymously.

But another way to give is through the holidays! Yes you read correctly. And yes your eyes are not going fuzzy or need glasses, through the holidays. One of the most common ways that people give Tzedakah, is during the holidays. The most common is on Friday/ Shabbat. During Shabbat we celebrate the time of rest and for the food that we have. But we also love to share our wealth. So most empty out their pockets put the spare change in the Tzedakah box/ can/ jar.

Also during Purim, we collect food for the food bank or give Mischloach Manot to the poor/ with each other filled with yummy foods of many different sorts and gelt. Another holiday that we give (or perform) Tzedakah is Rosh Hashanah. During Rosh Hashanah, we help out in many things; like ride a bike in a bikeathon to raise money for cancer or flood shelters and even animal shelters.


You do the hokey-pokey and you turn yourself about, that is what Tzedakahs all about…. Hey!!!