Tzedakah and its prioritization (work in progress)

We must be especially careful to observe the mitzvah of tzedakah, more so than any other positive mitzvah...

If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side:

For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.

If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman.

When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf in the field, do not turn back to get it; it shall go to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow—in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings.

(1) If one willfully and repeatedly transgresses even one of the Biblical commands and does not repent, we are not obliged to support him or to lend him money; (but we should support the heathen poor¹Although they transgress many Biblical laws. with the Jewish poor for the sake of peace).²Gittin 61a. (A treatise of the Talmud.)

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(3) Helping one's grown up sons or daughters in need when he is not obliged to—in order to give his sons an opportunity of studying the Law, or to keep his daughters in the right path—and presenting gifts to one's father in need,—all this comes under the general head of Charity. In fact, such charity is to be preferred to other forms. Not only a father or child, but any relative should be given preference to a stranger; a brother of one's father, to a brother of one's mother; the poor of his own house to the poor of the city at large; the poor of his own city to the poor of other cities; and the poor that dwell in the Holy Land to those that dwell in other lands.

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(7) Feeding the hungry should precede clothing the naked.

(8) If a man and a woman ask for food, the woman is given the preference; and so, too, if they ask for clothing. So also, if two orphans, a man and a woman, come to be married off, the woman is given the precedence.

(9) If many poor seek help and there is not enough money in the treasury to help them all, a priest is given preference before a Levite; a Levite before an ordinary Israelite; an Israelite before a Halal;²The issue of a marriage forbidden to priests. See Levit. 21 : 7, 14. a Halal before a child of unknown fatherhood; such a one before a foundling; a foundling before a bastard; a bastard before a Nathin;³A descendant of the Gibeonites. Joshua 9:27; Zebahim 78b. (A treatise of the Talmud.) a Nathin before a proselyte; a proselyte before an emancipated slave. This applies only in case they are equal in learning. But between a bastard a scholar and a high priest an ignoramus, the scholarly bastard is given the preference; and so whosoever is greater in learning is preferred. However, if the father or teacher of the charity distributor is among the poor seeking aid, the teacher, or the father (provided he too is a scholar) is given the preference, even if there is a far greater scholar among them.

(10) If one comes and says, "Give me food," no investigation is made to see that he is not an impostor, but he is given food at once. If he is destitute and asks for clothing, the case is investigated, and if he is found worthy, he is immediately furnished with raiment.

(11) Rabbi [Judah the Prince] grieved that he had given his bread to an illiterate,¹Baba Bathra 8a. (A treatise of the Talmud.) because those years were years of dearth and what the illiterate ate might have been given to a scholar. But if it had not been a time of scarcity, he would have been obliged to sustain him. However, if one is on the point of starvation, he must be given food, even though there is a possibility that a scholar will later be in need on account of it.

(12) Two poor men who are required to give to charity, may pay their obligations by giving alms to one another.
RMI.—This refers to Charity in the ordinary sense. But if the community imposes it as a fine upon them for some misdemeanor that they give a certain sum to Charity, they can not give it to one another; for that would not be paying a fine.​​​​​​​

Praised are You, Lord our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who in goodness feeds the whole world with grace, kindness, and compassion. G-d gives food to all living things, for G-d's kindness is for ever... For G-d feeds and sustains all, does good to all, and prepares food for all of G-d's creations. Praised are You, Lord, who feeds everybody.

(1) 1. It is a positive commandment to give Tzedaka to poor people according to what is appropriate for the recipient if the donor can afford it as it says "You shall surely open your hand to him" and it says "And you shall strengthen the stranger and he shall live among you." And it says "and your brother shall live among you."

(7) There are eight levels of charity, one above the other. The greatest level that has nothing above it is to strengthen the hand of a Jew who has become poor and give him a gift or loan or create a partnership with him or make up some work for him, so as strengthen his hand until he does not [any longer] need to ask others [for help]. And about this it is said (Leviticus 25:35), "and you shall strengthen the hand of a stranger and a resident and he shall live with you;" meaning, strenghten him until he no [longer] falls and becomes needy.

(8) Lower than that is when one gives charity to the poor and does not know to whom he is giving, and the poor person does not know from whom he is taking - since, behold, this is [performance of] the commandment for its own sake. Like this was the secret chamber which was in the Temple, to which the righteous would give secretly and from which the poor of the wealthy families would support themselves secretly. And approaching this is the one that gives to the charity box. And a person should not give to the charity box, unless he knows that the one in charge of it is trustworthy and wise and knows how to manage it appropriately, like [was the case with] Rabbi Chananya ben Tradyon.

(9) Lower than that is when the giver knows to whom he is giving, but the poor person does not know from whom he is taking. An example of this were the greatest of the Sages who would secretly go and place the money at the entrances of the [homes of the] poor. And it is fitting to do like this. And it is a good level when the charity managers are not behaving appropriately.

(10) Lower than that is when the poor person knows from whom he took and the giver does not know. An example of this were the greatest of the Sages who would bundle money in their sheets and lower them behind them and [then] the poor would come and take [the money], so that they would not feel embarrassment.

(11) Lower than that is when one gives it to him in his hand before he asks.

(12) Lower than that is when he gives it to him after he asks.

(13) Lower than that is when he gives him less than what is fit, [but] with a pleasant demeanor.

(14) Lower than that is when he gives it to him sadly.

(1) We are obligated to be careful about the commandment [to give] charity, more than any other positive commandment for charity is a sign of the righteous, the seed of Avraham, as it says "For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness... " And the seat of Israel is not established nor is the True Faith preserved except through charity as it says "In righteousness shalt thou be established" nor shall Israel be redeemed except through charity as it says "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness."

The Gemara asks: Rather, how then should one act to conceal his own identity and also remain ignorant of the identities of the recipients? The Gemara answers: The best method is to put the money into the charity purse. The Gemara raises an objection from what is taught in a baraita: What should a person do to have male offspring? Rabbi Eliezer says: He should distribute his money liberally among the poor. Rabbi Yehoshua says: He should gladden his wife before engaging in the mitzva of conjugal relations. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A person should not donate a peruta to the charity purse unless a great and trusted individual like Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon is appointed as supervisor over it. This seems to indicate that putting money into the charity box is not always preferred. The Gemara answers: When we say that putting money into the charity box is the preferred way to give charity, this is referring to when a man like Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon is appointed as supervisor over it. [...] Rabbi Abba said: It is derived from here how far the power of charity extends: “He shall dwell on high, his place of defense shall be the fortress of rocks; his bread shall be given, his water shall be sure” (Isaiah 33:16). What is the reason that “He shall dwell on high, his place of defense shall be the fortress of rocks”? Because “his bread shall be given” to the poor, and “his water shall be sure,” i.e., it shall be given faithfully and he can be trusted in the matter.

We don’t investigate recipients of gifts to the poor on Purim, but rather anyone who extends their hand to receive should be given.

(16) One is obligated to give to poor people on the day of Purim. One should give no less than two poor people one gift each of money or types of cooked dishes or types of food, as it says (Esther 9:22) "gifts to the poor": two gifts to to poor people. And one should not be particular about Purim money, rather give to every person who puts out his hand. And one should not change Purim money for another charity.

(5) One must not give less [Ma'aser Ani] to the poor from the threshing floor [than the following measures]: half a Kav [specific unit of volume] of wheat and a Kav of barley - Rabbi Meir says: half a Kav; a Kav and a half of kasha; a Kavof dried figs or a Maneh [specific unit of volume] of figs - Rabbi Akiva says: a Pras [half a Maneh]; half a Log [one fourth of a Kav] of wine - Rabbi Akiva says: a quarter; a quarter of a Log of oil - Rabbi Akiva says: An eighth [of that]. As for the rest of the produce, Abba Shmuel said: Enough that he can sell it and buy food for two meals.

(7) One must not give [Tzedakah to the poor who wander from place to place less than a loaf that is the price of a Pundion, when four Seah [of grain] cost a Sela. If he spends the night, one gives [bedding] supplies for the night. If he stays for Shabbat, one gives him food for three meals. One who has [enough] food for two meals must not take from the soup kitchen. [If he has enough] food for fourteen meals, he must not take from the charity box. And the charity box [funds] are collected by two people and distributed by three people.