Shotar The B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Nisan 5745, April 1985 Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA) B'nai B'rith Girls (BBG) NT 0.00 0.00 Tzedakah JNT means doing the right thing or acting in a just manner. Every time we are helpful, 0.00 to our family or our friends or to the 0.00 wider community we are performing an 0.00 act of Tzedakah. Looking at the list above 0.00 we can see that helping a sibling with 4.00 homework is just the right thing to do. It TZEDAKAH 0.00 not only helps our brother or sister but Box also strengthens the family bond. Visiting a friend who is ill, to cheer him up or to bring him the day's homework assignment UNT is an act of comforting the sick, known in 0.00 Jewish tradition as "Bikur Cholim." This is 1.00 such a great Mitzvah (moral obligation or good act) that even God is said to have visited Abraham when he was recuperat- ing from his surgery in Genesis 18:1 (look UNT it up!). Contributing to ISF and paying your BBYO dues help to support the pro- 0.00 grams and activities of the International Order, and make it possible for BBYO to in turn perform acts of Tzedakah for many worthwhile causes and to support many Rabbi Elliot Skiddell important projects. act of charity is performed out of pity or crease so will your ability to be a giv- I said that Tzedakah "simply" means concern; just as philanthropy comes from ing, concerned, committed and in- doing the right thing, but of course it's not the Greek phila meaning love and an- volved member of the Jewish By Rabbi Elliot Skiddell such a simple concept at all. Most of us thropos meaning man, therefore indicating community. N.W., Most of us perform many acts of think of Tzedakah as involving the giving that philanthropic acts are done because 2. Just as in a garment every thread unit- Tzedakah everyday without even thinking of money and indeed contributions to all of our love or compassion for our fellow es with the rest to form a whole gar- about them. By becoming aware of each good and worthy causes are important. human beings ment, so every penny given to charity act of Tzedakah that we perform we But, if we lose the personal connection to In contrast to these concepts our tradi- unites with the rest to form a large sum should be able to multiply them. Like the doing right, then we might not want to tion is wise enough to have recognized (Talmud). proverbial pebble in a pond our actions do it at all. There is nothing more imper- the fact that human beings are not always The world can be seen as divided into have a ripple effect and each act of sonal than merely writing a check and compassionate or loving. Our tradition, two categories: givers and takers. We all, Tzedakah that we perform can be the in- sending it off to the Post Office Box developed over thousands of years, recog- in a sense, sometimes take and sometimes spiration to someone else to also "do" Number of the organization we wish to nized the fact that our distance from the give. The danger is that we will gradually Tzedakah. In this way we participate each support. Getting personally involved in the objects of our Tzedakah might sometimes become only takers and forget the joy and and every day in the "ultimate" work of the organization, together with lead to our forgetting the necessity to value of giving. The great teacher, physi- Tzedakah: place you making better in us. this world a giving your contribution, will really make help. Perhaps we might say "I don't like so cian and rabbi Maimonides (born in Spain for and me and all of This is a difference to you and to the organiza- and so, why should I help him or support 1135, died in Egypt 1204) established known in Hebrew as "Tikun Olam," per- tion. his organization." Therefore, Tzedakah is eight levels or categories of giving that lecting the world. Tzedakah, you see, is Let's take two examples from the list not based on love or compassion (though throughout the centuries have served as both a personal commitment and an obli- above. You could write a check to your lo- it certainly helps to be loving and com- guidelines to Jews on how to properly give gation of the entire community. cal Federation and leave it at that. Your passionate); it is based on the concept of with a kind heart and a good attitude to Stop and think about the following contribution, no matter how small or justice. It's right to help those in need; it is giving, not grudgingly. Maimonides' eight acts of Tzedakah and perhaps you will re- large, is important and will be appreci- just to support those who have experi- degrees or levels of Tzedakah may be alize that you have done at least one (or ated. However, in addition, you could go to enced hardship; it is the correct thing to summarized as follows: more!) recently: your federation office and volunteer to do to help those in distress; we act justly 1. To give reluctantly and with regret. Help a brother or sister with homework. stuff envelopes or make phone calls dur- when we perform acts of Tzedakah. 2. To give cheerfully, but not in proportion Help out around the house by washing ing the Super Sunday Phone-A-Thon or Tzedakah is, in a sense, an embarrass- to your income. dishes, mowing the lawn, etc. hold a chapter program to raise funds for ing subject. We don't know how much to 3. To give cheerfully, in proportion to Visit grandparents or adopted grand- BBYO's Operation Moses (the emergency give; we don't know how to give or to your income, but not until you are parents through BBYO's Adopt-a-Grand- fundraising campaign aimed at providing whom; and rather than ask the right ques- asked to give. parent program. food for the starving people in Ethiopia tions-we simply ignore the whole sub- 4. To give cheerfully, in proportion to your Visit a friend who is ill. and assisting with the absorbtion and re- ject. Or we say to ourselves, "My small income without being asked but you Clean up the room in which your chap- settling of Ethiopian Jews). Your contribu- contribution won't help anyway" and we place the money directly in the recip- ter meets. tion of time and energy will inspire many don't give. Worst of all, many of us say "I ient's hand (thus embarrassing him/ Tutor a student at your synagogue's Re- others to also contribute. only get a small allowance" or "I only earn her). ligious School. The second example is paying your a small salary working at the market or 5. To give so that the recipient knows you Make a contribution to a fund for Ethi- BBYO dues. This is important as a state- burger place," need every buck I earn- gave the money, but you do not know able opian Jewry, Soviet Jewry, or some other ment of your commitment to the BBYO after all I earned it." "Besides, I'm trying who the recipient is. S) oppressed community. program and of your belonging to the to save up to buy a car, stereo, home com- 6. To give so that you know the recipients Plant a tree in Israel. greatest Youth Organization known to hu- puter, etc." Funds) but they don't know the money is Give money to your local Jewish manity. But just belonging is not enough. Jewish tradition is very clear that from you. will not Federation, Synagogue, Community Cen- You can become involved in your chapter's everyone has a responsibility to give 7. To give anonymously so that the recip- d the ter or other Jewish philanthropy. activities and participate in important Tzedakah and support worthy causes. Our ient does not know you and you don't oney Attend the funeral of a loved one or a programs like B'nai B'rith Against Drunk tradition suggests ten percent as a ith Youth know the recipient. friend's loved one. he Driving and raise money for the Interna- guideline but also warns us against being 8. The highest level, or best method of Participate in a walk-a-thon or some tional Service Fund. Your active participa- overly generous lest we become im- giving, is to give so that you prevent other activity for support of a good tion will help many others as these pro- poverished ourselves and need to draw on poverty by providing someone with a cause. grams affect the lives of many, many the community's limited resources for job or an (anonymous) interest free ure Visit a house of mourning. people. our own support. However, even a recip- loan so that they can provide for them- Help make a minyan at a synagogue. How is Tzedakah different from charity? ient of Tzedakah is obligated to contribute selves (and thus become givers as Make a contribution to ISF. I think there are many differences. As Tzedakah based on the very real idea well). Pay your BBYO dues. you can see from our discussion above, that there is always someone poorer or Finally, I want to suggest some prac- definition All of Tzedakah; the above come under the broad Tzedakah includes the idea of a personal worse off than he or she is. tical steps you can take to increase your to of for Tzedakah is not involvement and commitment to the cause Two other thoughts to keep in mind: merely limited to the acts that involve own Tzedakah awareness and that of your or organization being supported because 1. This is just the beginning of your life chapter. These are some simple, yet before rived giving money. The word Tzedakah is de- that's the right thing to do. Charity comes long commitment to Tzedakah. You're practical, activities that every chapter can from the Hebrew word Tzedek which from the Latin word caritas which means means "justice" and Tzedakah simply getting in the giving habit now and as do that will help you learn Tzedakah and love or fondness, and it connotes that the you grow, mature and your earnings in- Continued on Page 8