All the charity and deeds of kindness that the children of Israel perform in this world promote peace and good understanding between them and G-d.
Rabbi Yitzchak said, “Whoever gives even a small coin to a poor man receives six blessings, but whoever speaks reassuringly to him receives eleven blessings.”
When a [poor] man says, “Provide me with clothes,” he should be investigated [lest he be found to be a cheat]; when he says, “Feed me,” he should not be investigated [but fed immediately, lest he starve to death during the investigation].
One who gives charity in secret in greater than Moses.
Charity is equal in importance to all other commandments combined.
We support the non-Jewish poor along with the poor of Israel.
Even a poor man who himself survives on charity should give charity.
Our Rabbis taught: If a man pretends to have a blind eye, a swollen belly, or a shrunken leg, he will not leave this world before actually coming into such a condition. One who accepts charity and is not in need of it, his end will be that he will not leave this world before Continue Reading »
If a person closes his eyes to avoid giving [any] charity, it is as if he committed idolatry.
A person shouldn’t give more than a fifth of his income [to tzedakah], lest he himself come to be in need of charity.
