Helping others through tzedakah
By Laura Seymour

seymourforweb2This summer we have been studying mitzvot through “mitzvah heroes.” Each week we remember — “We are standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before us!”
Tzedakah is the mitzvah of helping others. Although it is often translated as “charity,” which is viewed as a voluntary act, tzedakah is a responsibility for everyone, even the poor.
The Hebrew root of tzedakah is “tzedek” which means justice — it means helping others is the just thing to do. The Torah tells us how important helping those in need really is, but it also reminds us to care about the dignity of poor people.

Mitzvah Hero of Today’s World — Albert Einstein

Many people who know of Albert Einstein’s scientific accomplishments may be unaware of his dedication to social justice and tzedakah.
He was born on March 14, 1879 in Germany and did much of his work there until the rise of the Nazis. The man who created the theory of relativity and changed the world of physics forever devoted much of his time to charitable acts.
In 1921, after winning the Nobel Prize, he visited the United States. and spent much of his time explaining the need for the State of Israel and raising funds to help settlers in Palestine.
Einstein helped found the International Rescue Committee in 1933 to help all refugees in need. He worked hard to help Jews and non-Jews in need.
When Chaim Weizmann died, Einstein was asked to become the second president of Israel. In 1999, Time Magazine named Albert Einstein “Man of the Century.”

In Our Ancestor’s Footsteps — Maimonides

In his day, Maimonides (1135-1204) was a rabbi, philosopher, author, physician and community leader. He lived in Spain but was forced to flee to Egypt where he became the physician to the royal family.
Maimonides wrote of how hard it was to be a physician and that he had to be up all hours of the night helping people. In spite of his work as a doctor, Maimonides found time to help others.
He wrote important books on Jewish law and philosophy that have guided people in how to live as a Jew for centuries. In his writings, Maimonides wrote of eight levels of tzedakah, beginning with the lowest rung — giving reluctantly and with regret — to the highest — helping another to become self-supporting.

Finish these Statements:

Albert Einstein fulfilled the mitzvah of tzedakah by:
Maimonides fulfilled the mitzvah of tzedakah by:
I can fulfill this mitzvah by:

Family Talk Time

  • Tzedakah is a commandment. Should we be commanded to give and to help others? Or should we do it because we want to?
  • Why should poor people be commanded to give to others? How do you decide how much to give, especially when you are needy?
  • The root word for tzedakah is tzedek — justice. What does justice have to do with giving to others? Is there a “fair” way to give or to be sure everyone has what they need?
  • Sometimes people feel embarrassed or bad when you try to give to them. Why would they feel this way? How can you give to people so that they don’t feel embarrassed or bad?

Laura Seymour is director of camping services and director of Jewish life and learning at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center.

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