Tzedakah (Hebrew: צדקה) is a Hebrew
word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on the Hebrew
word (צדק, tzedek) meaning righteousness, fairness
or justice. In Judaism, tzedakah refers to the religious obligation
to perform charity, and philanthropic acts, which Judaism emphasises
are important parts of living a spiritual life; Maimonides says
that the second highest form of tzedakah is to anonymously give
donations to unknown recipients. Unlike philanthropy, which is completely
voluntary, tzedakah is seen as a religious obligation, which must
be performed regardless of financial standing, and must even be
performed by poor people; tzedakah is considered to be one of the
three main acts that can annul a less than favorable heavenly decree.
In rabbinical literature of the classical and Middle Ages
In classical rabbinical literature, it was argued that the
Biblical regulations concerning left-overs only applied to corn
fields, orchards, and vineyards, and not to vegetable gardens; the
classical rabbinical writers were much stricter in regard to who could
receive the remains. It was stated that the farmer was not permitted
to benefit from the gleanings, and was not permitted to discriminate
among the poor, nor try to frighten them away with dogs or lions; the
farmer was not even allowed to help one of the poor to gather the
left-overs. However, it was also argued that the law was only
applicable in Canaan, although many classical rabbinical writers who
were based in Babylon observed the laws there; it was also seen as
only applying to Jewish paupers, but poor non-Jews were allowed to
benefit for the sake of civil peace.
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