Redefining Charity: A Deep Dive into the Concept of 'Tzedaka'

Show Notes
Transcript

What if your understanding of charity was radically redefined? What if, instead of being an optional act of sympathy, it was an obligation of justice? On today's episode, we dive into the concept of 'tzedaka', a term from the Torah that translates to justice and is often used to refer to charity. We peel back the layers of this Hebrew term to challenge the conventional definition of charity.

As we navigate the conversations of the Torah and its commentators, we probe deeper into the idea of each individual as the chairman of their own non-profit organization. We suggest that it is about giving and ensuring your funds are given to tzedaka with righteousness, making it a moral and financial obligation. Join us on this journey as we unravel our roles in the act of charity and reframe what it truly means to live a Jewish lifestyle.

Support the Show.

Join the WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content! JOIN HERE
----------------

SUBSCRIBE to The Weekly Parsha for an insightful weekly shiur on the Parsha of the week.
Listen on Spotify or the new Jewish music and Podcast streaming platform 24six!
Access all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our new website, themotivationcongregation.org

----------------

Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:01.862 --> 00:00:21.899
Alright, just to kick things off, I want to let you guys know that I'm fundraising for a very important cause and now, truthfully, I'm not fundraising, I just meant to have that, hopefully grab your attention and to show you that for a lot of us not all of us, but when somebody says the word hey, can I have some Tadaka?

00:00:21.899 --> 00:00:23.283
They ask for money.

00:00:23.283 --> 00:00:25.547
Perhaps a lot of us put up a wall.

00:00:25.547 --> 00:00:28.253
We feel a little bit standoffish, it's uncomfortable.

00:00:28.253 --> 00:00:32.970
Here comes another rabbi-looking fellow asking for some more of my money.

00:00:33.780 --> 00:00:44.093
But this week's PowerSheet gives us a different approach to it and, truthfully, if you ever have stopped to examine the word that the torii uses for charity, you would find this.

00:00:44.093 --> 00:01:07.500
The word is tsiddaka, which comes from the word and is built on the root of tzedek, which, you may recall, means justice, and all of the great commentators they tell us that charity is not perhaps the right definition, for that gives off something that really is only somewhat of a nice idea.

00:01:07.500 --> 00:01:15.605
L'fnim mishurah sadin, as if from the bottom of my heart, I feel sympathy for you, so I'll give you, but tsiddak says the toro.

00:01:15.605 --> 00:01:18.653
This is justice, this is how things are supposed to be.

00:01:18.653 --> 00:01:30.584
And, honestly, when you open up the tira and you read the words that if you should find a poor person inside of your gates and your midst, seems like your own city, comes first.

00:01:30.584 --> 00:01:36.013
And the Gomorrah tells us this a certain pauper that you can help out, give him.

00:01:36.013 --> 00:01:40.090
Give him, says hundreds and hundreds of time, n'oson tithin, keep giving.

00:01:40.090 --> 00:01:45.933
Lo s'ameh says t'vabhchah, do not harden your heart, do not become like paro.

00:01:45.933 --> 00:01:49.480
Lo sikh bussidzchah, don't close your hand, two separate guns facing you.

00:01:50.061 --> 00:01:59.474
It is the same strict law, the toro, to give, not charity, but tsiddakah, for it's the basic law.

00:01:59.474 --> 00:02:09.275
Each individual obligated it's not a nice thing, but obligated to separate some money, to tie their money minimally 10%.

00:02:09.275 --> 00:02:14.247
And then perhaps we can refocus and redefine that.

00:02:14.247 --> 00:02:21.479
Every individual is the chairman of a non-profit organization that mice are fun, that account.

00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:33.979
You are a fundraiser, you are someone that is in charge of those monies and must see to it that they are given Bitsadak to tsiddakah with righteousness.

00:02:33.979 --> 00:02:37.893
You are all administrators of a chesedfun.

00:02:37.893 --> 00:02:40.000
This is an obligation that we have.

00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:45.032
It is part and parcel of the definition and lifestyle of a Jew.

00:02:45.032 --> 00:02:53.026
It is one of our moral, financial obligations to see to it that tsiddakah is done.

New to The Motivation Congregation?

Here are some great episodes to start with.

Redefining Charity: A Deep Dive into the Concept of 'Tzedaka'

Listen On

Featured Episodes

Recent Episodes

New to The Motivation Congregation?