A Discussion of Tzedakah: Charitable Responsibility and the Jewish Faith
September 21, 2012
Sponsored by Rabbi Leib Tropper
A fundamental aspect of Jewish life discussed extensively in the Talmud and other key religious texts, tzedakah is viewed less as a mitzvah (good deed) and much more so like a responsibility. Derived from the Hebrew root “tzedek’, tzedakah is often misinterpreted as a form of charitable giving that a person may choose to engage in so long as he or she possesses the resources and desire to do so. Unlike the modern concept of philanthropy, a practice that many undertake because of the emotional satisfaction and spiritual joy they associate with performing an act that benefits others, tzedakah stands apart as a primary religious obligation that all Jews must uphold regardless of their financial situation.
Literally translated as righteousness, fairness, or justice, the term tzedakah appears 157 times in the Masoretic Text, an ancient biblical document that scholars employed over the centuries to interpret both the Old Testament and the Protestant Bibles. Outlining the Eight Levels of Giving in the Mishneh Torah, the medieval Jewish philosopher Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon characterizes the highest form of tzedakah as the act of providing an interest-free loan or job skills training to a needy individual. Although the recipient of such a gift clearly benefits from the giver’s actions, it is the giver who actually becomes indebted to the less fortunate party. The simple opportunity to fulfill the obligatory duty of tzedakah boasts distinction as one of Judaism’s foundational tenets, particularly in cases where the recipient becomes self-reliant and no longer asserts a burden on society.
About the sponsor:
Currently lending his support to the new Israel-based project Character First, Rabbi Tropper mines his extensive background as an Orthodox Jewish leader to promote Talmudic ideals and Halachic tradition throughout the global Judaic community. One of three rabbis ordained by Maran Harav Elazar M Schach zt”l, Leib Tropper completed his religious studies at Yeshivas Torah Ore in Jerusalem under the guidance of the school’s Founder, Maran Harav Chaim Pinchus Scheinberg.
A fundamental aspect of Jewish life discussed extensively in the Talmud and other key religious texts, tzedakah is viewed less as a mitzvah (good deed) and much more so like a responsibility. Derived from the Hebrew root “tzedek’, tzedakah is often misinterpreted as a form of charitable giving that a person may choose to engage in so long as he or she possesses the resources and desire to do so. Unlike the modern concept of philanthropy, a practice that many undertake because of the emotional satisfaction and spiritual joy they associate with performing an act that benefits others, tzedakah stands apart as a primary religious obligation that all Jews must uphold regardless of their financial situation.
Literally translated as righteousness, fairness, or justice, the term tzedakah appears 157 times in the Masoretic Text, an ancient biblical document that scholars employed over the centuries to interpret both the Old Testament and the Protestant Bibles. Outlining the Eight Levels of Giving in the Mishneh Torah, the medieval Jewish philosopher Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon characterizes the highest form of tzedakah as the act of providing an interest-free loan or job skills training to a needy individual. Although the recipient of such a gift clearly benefits from the giver’s actions, it is the giver who actually becomes indebted to the less fortunate party. The simple opportunity to fulfill the obligatory duty of tzedakah boasts distinction as one of Judaism’s foundational tenets, particularly in cases where the recipient becomes self-reliant and no longer asserts a burden on society.
About the sponsor:
Currently lending his support to the new Israel-based project Character First, Rabbi Tropper mines his extensive background as an Orthodox Jewish leader to promote Talmudic ideals and Halachic tradition throughout the global Judaic community. One of three rabbis ordained by Maran Harav Elazar M Schach zt”l, Leib Tropper completed his religious studies at Yeshivas Torah Ore in Jerusalem under the guidance of the school’s Founder, Maran Harav Chaim Pinchus Scheinberg.
Posted by Charity Watcher. Posted In : human rights
