Tzedakah in Jewish Tradition

The Importance of Tzedakah in Jewish Tradition

• The Code of Jewish Law prioritizes giving to family members in financial need, local charities, and causes in Israel over non-family members and distant charities.
• Supporting the poor in the Holy Land has been a tradition since the 16th century, with messengers collecting funds from the Diaspora for this purpose.
• Tzedakah (charity) is believed to have the power to save a person from death, as illustrated by a story in the Talmud.
• It is customary to give charity before praying and lighting candles on Friday afternoon to usher in the Shabbat.
• When donating charity, Jews often choose to give in multiples of 18 due to the significance of the Hebrew word for life having a numerical value of 18.
• Donating to charity with specific intentions, such as for the well-being of one's child, is considered righteous in Jewish tradition.
• Maimonides identified eight levels of giving charity, with the highest being to provide a loan and the lowest being to give unwillingly.
• In Temple Times, Jewish farmers gave 10% of their produce to the Levite, and the sages determined that it is proper to give 10% of earnings to charity, with those able encouraged to strive for 20%.
• The Talmud asserts that a woman's charity, particularly in the form of providing a ready-to-eat meal, is greater than that of her husband.
• Tzedakah is believed to bring the redemption, as indicated by the words of the prophet Isaiah.
• Tzedakah is considered an easy mitzvah (commandment) that requires no prior experience and can be fulfilled by directing funds to a charitable cause.
• Chabad.org, providing authentic Jewish teachings, inspiration, and information, encourages individuals to consider it as one of their tzedakah destinations.