Giving Tzedakah

A Jewish law is called a ‘Mitzvah’. Mitzvah is derived from the Hebrew root meaning ‘connection’. A Jew does a mitzvah to connect to God. One of the many mitzvahs is tzedakah. While the word tzedakah is most commonly translated into English as "charity", the word actually comes from the Hebrew word meaning "justice" or "righteousness" and this is more accurately what it means.

History of Tzedakah

The history of tzedakah is ancient. It is written in the Book of Leviticus "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger." Maimonides, the great twelfth-century philosopher and expert in Jewish law, organized tzedakah into a graded hierarchy. He lists eight levels of tzedakah with the dignity of the receiver at the cornerstone.

Tzedakah Today

Most people are familiar with the concept of giving tzedakah in temple by dropping a few coins into a traditional box called the tzedakah box before lighting the Shabbat candles. After the Shabbat candles are lit and the tzedakah box is filled, the blessing is given and recited. The Tzedakah that is raised in these boxes is used for something called tikkun olam, meaning that the money is used to help repair the ills of the world.

Tzedakah should continue into the Jew’s daily life as well with a tzedakah box as a fixture in the Jewish home and through acts of kindness and generosity throughout the day.

Tzedakah Principles

Thus the Jewish concept of tzedakah differs from the more common understanding of the word charity, in that while charity is given when the philanthropist is moved to do so, tzedakah is an obligation given by God to all Jews regardless of their financial wellbeing or their willingness to give.

An anonymous act of giving is one of the highest forms of Tzedakah as the generous act was not intended to give the donor any recognition. Tzedakah is considered one of three acts, along with teshuvah and tefilah, that gains forgiveness of sin.

Tzedakah boxes and giving tzedakah are two of the more important parts of the Jewish faith. It is important to give charity and help the less fortunate, and giving tzedakah is one of the more important parts of being a follower of Judaism in general, as it has to do with being respectful and kind and generous to your fellow neighbor.