In a minute
Jews are commanded to give to people in need. The Hebrew word for this is tzedakah, which does not mean "charity" (from the Latin for love) but righteousness or justice. Giving is not a favour; it is putting right what is unfair, because what we have is held in trust from God. Traditionally Jews give at least a tenth of their income (ma'aser). Alongside tzedakah stands chesed, loving-kindness, and gemilut chasadim, acts of kindness done with your own time and presence: visiting the sick, welcoming guests, comforting mourners, helping a bride and groom, burying the dead. The Mishnah teaches that the world stands on three things: Torah, worship, and acts of loving-kindness (paraphrased; Mishnah, Avot 1:2).
What it is and how it's lived
Giving as justice
The Torah builds giving into the economy. Farmers left the corners of their fields, the fallen gleanings and the forgotten sheaves for the poor and the stranger (Leviticus 19:9–10; Deuteronomy 24:19). Every third year a tithe went to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow (Deuteronomy 14:28–29). The Book of Ruth tells how a widow from Moab gleaned in the fields of Boaz, and was welcomed.
"If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother; but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth." (Deuteronomy 15:7–8, JPS 1917)
Every Jew is obliged to give, even someone who lives on tzedakah themselves (paraphrased; Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 7b). Many homes keep a tzedakah box (pushke), and children put coins in it before Shabbat. It is customary to give before festivals so that everyone can celebrate, and Jewish communities in every age have run funds for the poor, the sick, orphans, brides without dowries, travellers and the dead.
How much? The tradition speaks of a tenth (ma'aser) as normal and a fifth as generous, and the rabbis warned against giving away more than a fifth and becoming poor oneself (paraphrased; Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 50a).
Maimonides' ladder of giving
Maimonides listed eight levels of tzedakah, from lowest to highest (paraphrased; Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:7–14):
| Level | The giver… |
|---|---|
| 8 (lowest) | gives unwillingly |
| 7 | gives cheerfully, but less than is fitting |
| 6 | gives enough, but only after being asked |
| 5 | gives before being asked |
| 4 | the receiver knows the giver, but the giver does not know the receiver |
| 3 | the giver knows the receiver, but the receiver does not know the giver |
| 2 | neither knows the other |
| 1 (highest) | helps a person become self-supporting: a gift, a loan, a partnership or a job, so that they need never ask again |
Maimonides also wrote that Jews should be more careful about tzedakah than about any other positive commandment (paraphrased; Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:1).
Acts of loving-kindness
The rabbis said kindness (gemilut chasadim) is even greater than giving money, in three ways: tzedakah is given with money, kindness with one's whole self; tzedakah is for the poor, kindness for rich and poor alike; tzedakah is for the living, kindness for the living and the dead (paraphrased; Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 49b). Among its forms:
- Bikur cholim, visiting the sick;
- Hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests, after Abraham, who ran to greet three strangers at his tent (Genesis 18);
- Nichum avelim, comforting mourners (see Life and home);
- Chesed shel emet, "true kindness": caring for the dead, which can never be repaid. Volunteer burial societies (chevra kadisha) do this in every community.
Its inner meaning
If everything belongs to God, then what we hold is on loan. The Mishnah puts it simply: give to God of what is God's, for you and all you have are God's (paraphrased; Mishnah, Avot 3:7). Tzedakah therefore protects the dignity of the poor: it is their right, not a hand-out, and the highest forms of giving are the ones that spare the receiver's shame.
Jewish teaching also holds that tzedakah changes the giver. The High Holy Day liturgy says that repentance, prayer and tzedakah avert the severity of the decree (the Unetaneh Tokef prayer; paraphrased).
Key texts
"For ever is mercy built" (Psalm 89:3, JPS 1917)
Hebrew (Psalm 89:3, opening; olam chesed yibaneh, "the world is built by kindness"):
עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה
"Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, And that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, And that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" (Isaiah 58:7, JPS 1917)
(Read on Yom Kippur: the prophet's description of the "fast that I have chosen".)
"For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.’" (Deuteronomy 15:11, JPS 1917)
"Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, When it is in the power of thy hand to do it." (Proverbs 3:27, JPS 1917)
Common misunderstandings, answered gently
- "Tzedakah is just charity." Charity can sound optional. Tzedakah is an obligation of justice, and its highest form, helping someone to stand on their own feet, looks more like enterprise and employment than almsgiving.
- "Jews only help other Jews." The Talmud instructs that the poor of other peoples are supported along with the poor of Israel, the sick visited and the dead buried, for the sake of the ways of peace (paraphrased; Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 61a).
- "Giving should always be public to inspire others." Jewish tradition prefers anonymous giving, so that the receiver is not shamed and the giver is not proud.
Across the movements
All movements teach tzedakah and gemilut chasadim as central. Progressive Judaism often links tzedakah with tikkun olam, social action to repair the world; Orthodox communities often stress ma'aser, the tenth, and the community's own funds for those in need. Practice is shared across all of them.
Reflection
Maimonides' highest level of giving is helping someone never need to ask again. What could you give that is not money but makes someone more independent?
In the other traditions
- Christianity: Jesus taught giving in secret: "when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself" (Matthew 6:2, WEB). Many Christians tithe a tenth to the church and to people in need.
- Islam: zakah, giving 2.5% of savings each year to those in need, is one of the Five Pillars; sadaqah is voluntary giving at any time. The Qur'an lists those who may receive it: "The alms are only for the poor and the needy" (Qur'an 9:60, Pickthall).
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