How is tzedakah different from charity?
The Hebrew word “Tzedakah” stems from the root word “Tzedek”, which means “righteousness” but also “justice”.
Let’s take a look at how some popular online dictionaries define “charity” and “Righteousness”
Charity: generous actions or donations to aid people who are poor, ill, or needy:
Righteousness: the quality or state of being righteous: characterized by uprightness or morality or morally right or justifiable:
Charity: “generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering”
Righteousness: acting in accord with divine or moral law : : morally right or justifiable
Charity: “help, especially in the form of money, given freely to people who are in need, “
Righteousness morally correct behaviour , or a feeling that you are behaving in a morally correct way:
Charity: a voluntary giving of money or other help to those in need
Righteousness: acting in a just, upright manner; doing what is right; virtuous
When it comes to giving money, the main difference is motivation or choice: The sense of “charity” is that it’s something we decide to do, probably because we feel it’s the right thing to do. The sense of “tzedakah” is that it’s something we are obliged to do, because it’s the right thing to do.
The effect is the same – those in need are given help - but one is an obligation, while the other is a choice.
Beyond this sense, doing tzedakah is a “mitzvah” – a commandment. Moses tells the children of Israel, in Deuteronomy 15:7, “If, … there is a needy person among you, one of your kin in any of your settlements …, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kin.” In Deuteronomy 15:11, he continues, “For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kin in your land.”
Our Tzedakah Box
In other words, even if you don’t feel like it – even if you don’t like the person in need – you are commanded to help those in need.
We sell Tzedakah boxes to remind you to set aside money for Tzedakah regularly. They are very inexpensive – only $5 if you buy one on its own – so that your money can go to Tzedakah, rather than to a Tzedakah box.
You can make buying one a double Mitzvah by also donating to Mazon Canada, a Jewish response to hunger, right from our website!