Sunday, February 15, 2009
Priorities in Tzedakah
Rav Yitzchok Zilberstien of Bnei Brak tells the story of a wealthy man who was blessed with a child after many childless years who approached him with the following request: He wanted to donate a very large sum to a hospital and was unsure whether to donate it to the ophthalmology wing or to the fertility wing. Rav Zilberstien referred him to his brother in law Rav Chaim Kanievsky who replied that he should contribute his gift to the ophthalmology department.
He based this on the Mishnah that enumerates the four people who are considered as dead. They are the poor man, the leper, the blind man, and the childless. He notes that the order of the Mishnah is purposeful, and these unfortunates are listed in order of their severity. So the blind have priority over the childless.
Halacha dictates priorities in whom one gives their Tzedakah money. The Rema enumerates the order of priorities:
a) parents
b) children
c) other relatives (including a divorced wife)
d) neighbors
e) townsmen
f) Yerushalayim
g) Eretz Yisroel
This assumes that all of the above are truly poor and worthy.
Additionally, if one is faced with the choice of providing food or providing clothes he should first provide food.
However the Aruch Hashulchan explains that one cannot provide for his “priority” exclusively. Rather he should give the bulk of his money based on the above priorities, and the rest should be given to other poor people.
One more point – there is a common misnomer that the rule that you have to give at least a small amount to everyone who asks is only for Purim. In actuality this is always true. When a truly poor person comes to your door or stops you on the street and asks for a donation it is forbidden to turn him down, rather you must give at least a pittance to them so as not to embarrass them. The only exception to this may be when there is an incessant stream of people coming.
Happy Giving!!
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber is sought after by all who know him for his Halachic and practical advice. His keen ability to put complicated matters into a digestible perspective coupled with his ability to get the facts, make him the perfect blogger to help us all “Do It Right”.
