Money, Money, Money...

Day 37: When Not Giving Charity Is the Highest Charity

It's hard to go anywhere nowadays and not see someone in need. I'm reading a book right now called The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. In the story Chava, the golem, is able to understand all the wants and needs of everyone around her without them saying anything out loud. I can only imagine how much pressure and how difficult it would be to be able to know what everyone needs and not be able to do it, but we don't always know what everyone needs. We aren't mind readers, we can only tell what we see.

On the surface, we see people who are tired, dirty, poor, begging. Some generous souls stop to give these people snacks or change from their purses, while the majority of others drive or walk by without paying the poor person any attention.

If only we could give these people what they really needed: a job or a skill. In an ideal world, that's what would happen. Instead of giving money, we would help the poor move their lives forward. The rabbi points out that it is better to give a person prospects than to give them money.

Day 38: Give Money When Times Are Hard

In addition to the point made above, people don't tend to give any charity when they themselves are going through a fiscally rough period. But the rabbis say that these people may be missing the point. "The Talmud rules: 'Even a poor man who himself survives on charity should give charity' (Gittin 7b)."

I tried myself to follow through on this value. The joke about college students is that we're poor, we don't have money to spend. I'm one of the lucky ones whose parents are extremely generous and I am given a monthly allowance. What I do with that money is my decision.

If I thought things through more, I would save the majority of it for times when I really needed it, but I enjoy going around town and doing things (and shopping) so I'm not skilled at saving it all. Today, my roommate and I went to the mall. I was making a purchase and before I swiped my card, I was asked by the cashier if I wanted to make a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I saw my chance and took it. Even though my donation was only one dollar, it felt good. Really good.