Incredibly, we are now in the last days of Elul. We know it is very serious, for we are taught in Yiddishkeit, “Hakol holeich achar ha’chasom – Everything goes after the finale.” Since Elul is the last month of the year, it defines the entire year. It is also our opportunity to put our best face forward for Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgment, when our fate and the fates of our loved ones will be determined.
When Black Friday comes, we know that many people will “shop till they drop.” What should we be doubling down on during the month of Elul? My succinct answer would be, give tzedakah “till you drop.” You might be surprised. Why did I pick tzedakah of all mitzvos?
In the 10th Chapter of Hilchos Matnas Aniyim, the Rambam, makes a stupendous statement. He declares, “Chayavim anu lizaheir b’mitzvos tzedakah yoseir mikol mitzvos asei – One is required to be careful with the mitzvah of charity more than all of the positive commandments.” How amazing! The Rambam does not exaggerate. This means more than the mitzvah of Torah, more than Shabbos, more than kibbud av v’eim, more than family purity, and more than the cherished mitzvah of tefillin. I would suggest this is because tzedakah is a matter of life and death. As it says unequivocally, “tzedakah tatzil memaves – charity saves from death.”
The Medrash informs us that on the day of Rabbi Akiva’s daughter’s marriage, she was wearing a heavy brooch on her gown. Finding it cumbersome, she took it off and stuck it in the wall. After resting a bit, she went to put it back on and pulled it out of the wall. To her shock, she had impaled a venomous snake with the brooch, which also came out when she removed the brooch from the wall.
She showed the dead snake to her famous father. Rabbi Akiva revealed to her that a soothsayer told him that she would die on the day of her wedding. He then asked her, “What special thing did you do today that saved your life?” She answered that there was a poor man by the wedding. Everyone was too busy to attend to him so she gave her own portion at the meal to him. Rabbi Akiva immediately taught his talmidim the lesson of tzedakah tatzil memaves.
It is noteworthy that during the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur liturgy, we proclaim that three things remove an evil decree: Teshuvah, repentance, for it acts as an erasure for our sins; tefillah, sincere prayer, where we beg for our lives. And then, of all the remaining mitzvos, we only mention one, and that’s tzedakah.
The Birkei Yosef in Yoreh Deah [247], points out another power of tzedakah. Namely, while sin extinguishes other mitzvos, sin cannot extinguish the merit of charity. In the preface to the Zohar, we are given an idea of the potency of tzedakah. The Zohar relates when Hashem loves a man, he sends the man a gift. The Zohar questions, “What is the gift?” Answers the Zohar, “A poor man,” for a poor man offers an opportunity to give charity which saves us from death, from the punishment of Gehennom, increases our harmony and brings us personal wealth.
Eliyahu HaNavi reveals to us in the Tanna d’Vei Eliyahu Rabbah [10], “Ein lach sam hachaim l’Malach HaMaves ela tzedakah bilvad – There is no elixir of life against the Angel of Death except for charity.” The great Ohr Zeruah, in Hilchos Tzedakah [1], gives a wonderful imagery. He says that the many coins that we dole out to tzedakah combine to create for us a coat of mail in the Next World against punishment. Now, I don’t want people to give quarters instead of dollars. So, imagine that your dollars will create an impenetrable fire-proof vest against the flames of Gehennom.
The protection of our charity extends to our children and grandchildren. As the Yerushalmi says in the First Chapter of Masechtas Peah, “tzedakah omedes l’adam ad shlosha doros – the protection of tzedakah extends for a person to three generations.”
There is a way to increase the potency of tzedakah and that is to combine the giving of it with kind words to the poor or needy person. The Gemara teaches us in Bava Basra [9b], “One who gives charity to a poor man will be blessed with six blessings. If he accompanies his gift with comforting words, he’ll be blessed with another eleven blessings.” If we want to add more power to our charity, when someone approaches us for hachnasas kallah, to help a poor bride and groom, if we add to our monetary gift a cheery wish for a very happy wedding, we are almost tripling the strength of our tzedakah.
Although all of this makes sense, it still is very hard to part with our money and the Yetzer Hara strives mightily to convince us to keep our money safely tucked away in our wallet and in our bank. Let’s remember the guarantee of the Rambam, and I quote, “Ein adam me’ani min hatzedakah – No man becomes poorer from giving charity.”
So, let’s liberally unleash this powerful protection and in its merit may Hashem bless us all with a k’siva v’chasima tova u’mesuka – to be written and sealed for a sweet healthy life.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.