Dear Rabbi Alon Anava, I am a seventh day adventist Romanian and I wish to thank you for this nice message. G-d bless you, your family and your work. G-d bless Israel!
Giving.....Charity....does not refer to money as being the only form. You can give of your time and you can give what you already have to others in need. Once upon a time....God made money. Oh, that's right.....Man made money. God provided ALL we need.....and money was not one of the things God provided for our needs.
The rich one has to share with the poor. the Thora is a law with rules of LOVE ..!! ( Do not give money to someone because it is a Mitzva...). It's worthless. Realize, that HASHEM is always taking care for you so you got enough to live. So, because that you share with other people if you see that they got less... and if you share with someone by HEART than at another TIME the Lord will remember you, if one day it will be hard for you. And the Lord will sent people to HELP you out... of trouble... That's how things work out....It is the truth !!
Im hearing that there is a difference between spontaneous acts of chesed and the mitzvah of tzeddaka. Example.. i live in a very small town, next to another small town... it is regular to see containers detailing a local family that needs.. whether for sickness, a fire took house etc. I cannot pay for my groceries and leave without contributing to the containers, whether it be 1, 5, 10 dollars .. it is what i feel i can give at the moment as Im leafing through the cash to pay for groceries. This is not the mitvah of tzeddaka... (?)... in contrast to the 10 to 20% of what money flows into my life... (?).... the deliberation of purposeful percentages... that makes me take conscious accounting of how provisions come to me and in what quantity and the specific work on what comes up inside of me as i do that exercise... and then the thoughtfulness involved with identifying who amongst my community is in need... not everyone will have advocates who place a container in public store... very different activities, the side thought as i purchase provisions for my home triggered by the containers on the counter and the deliberation and accounting and thoughtful examination of the individual or familyl in need that is not advertised. I am thoroughly enjoying contemplsting the differences. Tzeddaka Mitzvah now has section in my journal, to track and stay transparent with myself. Thankyou, Rabbi, for your presentation and elevating my deeds, enabling me to begin fulfilling this mitzvah.
Rabbi Anava, does one have to give to someone who is spreading the wrong message to the Jewish people? Example: Idol worship that goes against the Torah? Some of them claim to be Rabbis from the tribe of Israel. Please inform me on this because I am a little confused. I give charity of what I have. But I don't want to give to someone who is spreading the wrong message of Torah. I am poor, and 69 years old. I only survive on my social security which is not much to survive in this world of today. I also watch some of the messages of Rabbis who are in the right path of Hashem, blessed is He, but I cannot give to all the institutions who bring the message of Torah. I usually give to the Sages of Israel institution. What do you think about this? Thank you for your teachings.
So, the difference between maser and tzedeka (I hope I wrote these words correctly) is that you have to give 10% maser from all sources of income to the poor and that you have to give tzedeka to needy people you meet, up to a total of 20% if you add up the maser and the tzedeka? So in other words: the amount of tzedeka you give depends on how many needy people you meet? Please correct me if I'm wrong..
