Q:
"During my trip, I went to Jerusalem
for Shabbat. I was amazed how many people asking for charity there were
in the streets on Friday. Can it really be that they are all genuine?
Must I give to each one who approaches me, even if I don't have a good
feeling about him?"
A:
You have raised an important point, Wendy, which many visitors and residents
wonder about. Before discussing it in depth, let me briefly state my personal
opinion that you (and every Jew) should give to anyone that claims to need,
especially in Israel. If you have suspicions, give less, even just a small
coin.
Now, here's why I think so.
There is a passage, [Deut. 15:7-11]: ...In the land G-d is giving you,
do not harden your heart or shut your hand against your needy brother...Give
readily and do not feel bad about it...There will never cease to be needy
people in the land, so open your hand generously to your poor brothers...
From this we see there is a positive commandment to give to a needy fellow-Jew,
as well as a negative one not to refuse. One who turns away empty-handed
another Jew who is truly needy, especially "in The Land," transgresses
both these commandments. (Of course, to help a needy non-Jew is
also a good deed, as confirmed by the Code of Law [II, 251:1], but it
is not a mitzvah, a must, prescribed by the Torah, as it is to give to
a fellow-Jew.)
Although the end of the quote above stresses generously, in such a situation
as you describe, we have to consider the number of outstretched hands,
the degree of credibility, and your available resources. A minimal
donation keeps one within the parameter of Jewish law [ibid, 249:4], and
sometimes may even be preferable [ibid, 250:3].
It is also important to keep in mind that a vital part of the mitzvah
of giving is how we give. It must be done with caring graciousness
[ibid, 249:3]. This you can always accomplish with a few nice words
no matter how small your gift. Be sincere; after all, he is giving
you the opportunity to fulfill G-d's will.
If you think about it, even if some of the people collecting are not
legitimate, in a certain sense we nevertheless have to be grateful to
them. So many people come up to us and we give each one a coin.
How can we justify giving mere coins to someone we know is in need of
basic necessities?
Obviously, this is an idea that can be taken too far. As a Chassidic
Rebbe once said: “The merit of tzedakah is so great that I am happy to
give to 100 beggars even if only one might actually be needy. Some
people, however, act as if they are exempt from giving to 100 beggars
in case one might be a fraud.”
The Talmud [Baba Batra 9b (based on Prov. 2:21)] tells us that only the
righteous are so blessed that their tzedakah is always true tzedakah.
A normal person has no such guarantee. abd while it is desirable
to think well of everyone, no one wants to be deceived. The best
we can do is weigh the potential loss against the potential gain.
Try not to pre-judge the situation when you see so many hands, or because
some of those collecting seem affluent. Unfortunately, there are
huge numbers of impoverished people in Jerusalem, most of whom nobody
sees. Some of the collectors you see are doing it for others, not
for themselves.
If it should be that the recipient of your donation is not really deserving...
well, ultimately, that's his problem! At least you tried to do your
share in the mitzvah.
Above all, always remember to be grateful that your share is the giving
end, and to be worthy of this responsibility.
Sincerely,
Yrachmiel Tilles
co-founder, Ascent Seminars of Safed
Editor, Ascent Quarterly
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