TSEDAKAH

TSEDAKAH actually means RIGHTEOUS ACTION. In the Talmud, it is most often used to refer to the giving of assistance in the form of alms or material gifts.

The rabbis of the Talmud extolled the virtue of giving tsedakah, in the simple sense of giving alms, as one of the greatest of good deeds.

They taught that "together with prayer and atonement, tsedakah can avert an evil fate divinely decreed for the coming year on Rosh Hashanah."

Tsedakah is enjoined throughout the Tanakh (Bible): "You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to the poor, and to the needy of your land" (Deuteronomy 15: 11).

"He that has pity on the poor, lends to YHVH" (Psalm 19: 17).

And, the righteous man is one who is "father to the poor" (Job 29: 15).

Provision for those in want has at all times been regarded as a sacred duty. The very use of the Hebrew word TSEDAKAH, derived from the word for JUSTICE, shows that the relief of poverty is a matter of duty - an assessment upon the rich for the benefit of the poor - and NOT voluntary philanthropy. It is for this reason that the rendering of TSEDAKAH as charity - which implies an act of pure and unrequited benevolence - is incorrect.

Tsedakah should represent at least one tenth of one's income, but should not exceed 20%, lest the giver be forced into poverty.

Tsedakah should be given secretly lest the recipient be put to shame. Always, ways should be found to not embarrass the receiver.

The highest form of tsedakah is when both the donor and the recipient are unknown to each other.

Customary ways to give tsedakah are by giving to a newly married couple; helping the poor have the necessary ritual items and foods for Shabbat and Festivals; ransoming captives; and providing for the education, food, housing, hospital services, old-age homes, and free burial of the needy among our midst.

Thus, there is a far cry between the Hebrew word TSEDAKAH (Tzaddi, Dalet, Qof, Heh), from the root TSADAK, "to be just or righteous," with its implications of social justice, and its English translation "charity." In the case of "charity" the recipient sees himself beholden to the donor, whose action is voluntary. TSEDAKAH, on the other hand, has to be performed as a matter of obligation and the recipient is in no way indebted to the donor. The needy have a right to TSEDAKAH, while those possessing means have a duty to give it. Indeed, even a poor person who recieves TSEDAKAH must in turn give TSEDAKAH (Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 7b).

TITHES

Tithes, the tenth part of one's annual income, set aside for a specific, designated purpose of charity.

During the biblical period, detailed laws were promulgated concerning the tithing of agricultural produce and livestock. All produce, fruits, and vegetables, are liable to being tithed. Untithed produce is called "TEVEL," and may not be eaten except incidentally while it is still in the field.

In addition to the TRUMAH OFFERING (see under "Offerings"), the first tithe (MA'ASER RISHON), second tithe (MA'ASER SHENI), and the tithe for the poor (MA'ASER ANI) must be seperated.

The Hebrew calendar is divided into seven-year cycles for the purpose of calculating the tithing.

The FIRST TITHE is to be seperated in each of the first six years; the SECOND TITHE in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years; the POOR TITHE in the third and sixth years.

Produce of the seventh year (SHEMITTAH), produce of the consecrated fields (HEKHDESH), ownerless property (HEFKER), gleanings (LEKET, and SHIKHCHAH) and the corners of the fields (PEAH) are left for the poor and are not required to be tithed.

The FIRST TITHE is given to the Levitical Priesthood (Numbers 18: 24), who were forbidden to own property themselves, and who were also required to tithe a tenth to the Aaronic High Priesthood (Numbers 18: 26).

The SECOND TITHE (Leviticus 27: 30-31; Deuteronomy 14: 22-26) must be taken to Jerusalem and consumed there. This includes the tithing of the flocks (animals), which were to be taken to the Temple to be slaughtered there. The second tithe could be exchanged for money which would then be spent in Jerusalem.

The POOR TITHE (Deuteronomy 14: 28-29; 26: 12), or its cash equivalent, is to be distributed to the poor anywhere they are to be found.

Produce that is untithed must be tithed by whoever comes into possession of it. One may not substitute tithes from one type of produce for another, nor from bad produce for good produce, nor produce grown in one location for produce grown in another location.

Twice during the seven-year cycle, in the fourth and seventh years, prior to Passover (Pesach), all tithing obligations must be brought up to date, the tithes paid, and a relevant confession recited.

Tithing was obligatory ONLY in Eretz Yisrael, but the custom arose among some Jews in the Diaspora of allocating a tenth of their income to charity, which practice many Jews still follow today.

OFFERINGS (TERUMAH)

According to the Torah, a number of sacred gifts (offerings) were said "to be lifted up" or TERUMAH. Being "lifted up" implied that the gift was seperated out or set apart for God.

These special gifts are the breast and right thigh of the "peace offering," which was used for a sacred meal by the Aaronic Priests and their families (Exodus 29: 27-28; Leviticus 7: 32-34), the cakes of the "thanksgiving offering" (Leviticus 7: 12-14); the first yield of baked bread (CHALLAH; Numbers 15: 19-20); and the tithes from the common people and from the Levite tithe (Numbers 18: 24-29).

The TERUMAH OFFERING could also be any gift that a person selected as a gift to the Temple from ones property; thus, the materials for the building of the Tabernacle, the census silver, the dedicated spoils of the Midianite War, as well as any other gift set apart as sanctified to the Temple, are all considered as terumah offerings. Primarily, however, terumah refers to the tithe of the peace offering sacrifice which is given to the Aaronic Priests.

GEMILUT HASIDIM

Gemilut Hasidim is ANY act of kindness, consideration, compassion, or benevolence.

Torah, worship, and gemilut hasidim are the three pillars upon which the world is built (Pirke Abot 1: 2), and gemilut hasidim is considered an identifying trait of the Jewish people (Babylonian Talmud, Yebamot 79a); if one has compassion for others, one is to be considered as though one is a Jew.

In three respects gemilut hasidim is superior to tsedakah (acts of charity): (1) tsedakak can only be given in money or in kind; gemilut hasidim can be given in personal service also. (2) Tsedakah can be given only to the poor; gemilut hasidim can be done for both the rich and the poor; (3) Tsedakah can be performed only for the living; gemilut hasidim can be performed for both the living and the dead.

Gemilut hasidim is unlimited in the scope of its applications and is listed as among those actions that a person enjoys the fruit (the satisfaction of helping others) of while he or she is alive and the fruit is still enjoyed in the "World to Come" (Babylonian Talmud, Peah 1: 1). So, maybe your children and grandchildren will be viewed positively because of the merits of your deeds.

Gemilut hesed is considered one of the attributes of God, who is described in the Daily Prayers as GOMEL HASEDIM TOVIM (bestower of loving kindness).

Because lending money to enable a person to overcome poverty and become self-sufficient is considered gemilut hasidim and is considered superior to giving alms as tsedakah, which can have the possibility of embarrassing the receiver, the term gemilut hasidim was often applied to the loaning of money interest free to those in need of temporary financial assistance. Gemilut Hesed Societies exist just for this purpose.

THE BLESSING WAY PATH

Whenever a person is in need of a blessing from Heaven; when they need a healing, a job, a sense of direction, a soul-mate, or any other "favor" from "Beyond," it is important for that person to create for themselves a BLESSING WAY PATH.

The Blessing Way Path is based upon the Jewish belief that "as you sow, so shall you reap." If you want to receive a blessing, it is important to give blessings so as to open the channels for the flow of "SHEFA" (blessing, plenty, abundance) in return.

The Prophet Malachi states in his book: "Bring all of the ma'aser tithes to the treasury (storehouse), so that there may be food in My house; and put Me to the TEST on this - said YHVH Tzevaot; in no way will I not open for you the windows of Heaven, and pour out for you blessings without limit" (Malachi 3: 10).

HERE IS A PROMISE THAT CAN BE PUT TO THE TEST! GOD INVITES YOU TO TEST THE BLESSED HOLY ONE! Try it and see for yourself that it does indeed work! All you need to do is open the channels for the shefa to flow back to you.

CREATE your own Blessing Way Path by realizing that part of the monies that you are blessed with do not actually belong to you, but that you are only the conduit for that money to get to its rightful owner.

We have a tradition that the Prophet Elijah travels throughout the world disguised as a disgusting beggar; and to every person who gives him money, he gives a blessing of whatever that person really stands in need of.

When you give tzedakah (money given as charity or acts of justice) on behalf of a person who is ill or otherwise needing help, or for blessings of economic or for peace in your home, the mystical tradition in Judaism says you are stimulating the flow of shefa (divine outflowing), hesed (lovingkindness), and rachmanut (compassion) not only on this physical level of existence but also on other levels as well.

Your loved one may or may not achieve a physical healing. The healing might occur on a soul level that is hard to describe, or the healing might be that some aspect of suffering or alienation in this world or in another level of existence is being repaired by your acts of kindness. You might not see the change that is taking place in your economic or domestic situation.

You can't control what happens when you stir up the flow of goodness with your words of prayer or your acts of tzedakah. All you can do is stir things up and then let the forces of the universe do what they do. The EcoRebbe recommends the giving of tzedakah in the form of CASH given to a total stranger in need. At least as much as needed to buy a small meal.