ערך צדקה

It is the way of many people to say after the passing of the Tzadik, G-d forbid: "Now we have nothing left at all, G-d forbid." And even though from one side they speak some truth — for certainly there has not remained literally a Tzadik exactly like him. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "The face of Moshe is like the face of the sun; the face of Yehoshua is like the face of the moon. Woe for that shame, etc." — even so, even so, it is forbidden to remain, G-d forbid, with this and to say that therefore all hope is lost, G-d forbid. For the opposite is the case — for G-d will never abandon His people. And "Your dominion is in every generation" [Psalms 145:13]. Therefore one must believe that even though one must certainly pine very greatly after the true Tzadik in the aspect of Moshe — even so, one must conclude with words of comfort — to comfort and gladden oneself in his remnant: that is, the holy innovations of Torah that remain from him through his books and his disciples. For from a truly righteous Tzadik, certainly a good remnant remains forever. Only one must search and seek much as above. Certainly G-d can sustain the poor and give them all good directly. But the essential commandment of tzedakah is because the money is already in the wealthy person's hand — and it is in his power to do with it as he wishes. And he overpowers [his inclination] through his free will and gives from his own pocket to tzedakah. This is very precious before G-d. For through this he draws chassadim [kindnesses] into the world. And this is His blessed will — that the human being who has free will draw [kindnesses] into the world through the tzedakah he gives to the poor of his own free will. And in all of this we see the greatness of the power of free will.

The repair of all wayfarers — physically and spiritually — is through tzedakah. For the essential knowledge of the truly straight path in its true truth — it is impossible to instruct explicitly, but only through a hint — in the aspect of: "I will instruct you and show you the way you should go — I will counsel you with My eye upon you" [Psalms 32:8]. For it is impossible to explain all the confusions and errors that arise in traveling the paths — even in the physical. How much more so in the matter of spiritual paths and trails in the service of G-d — where it is certainly impossible to explain and specify for each and every person the straight path at every day and every time, as to where to turn to rescue his soul from what needs to be rescued — except through a hint. That a hint is given to a person at every time: "in this way go." And all of this is repaired through tzedakah — in the aspect of: "the righteousness of the wholesome straightens his way" [Proverbs 11:5]. For through tzedakah one merits to walk in the straight path — physically and spiritually.

The virtue of the commandment of tzedakah is without measure — and all the Torah and all the repair of the worlds depends upon this. For everything was created for His honor — and all His honor is revealed through tzedakah. Through which [the world] becomes a vessel to receive the flow of the supernal delight [no'am ha'elyon] — through which birth [holadah] occurs and His honor is revealed. As explained in the inner teachings. And therefore tzedakah is equivalent to the entire Torah — as our Sages of blessed memory said. But one must give much tzedakah — and request from G-d that he merit to fulfill the commandment of tzedakah as is proper: that he give the tzedakah with a full heart for the sake of His Name, truly. And that G-d send him worthy poor people through whom to merit. For the essential repair of tzedakah is that through it His honor should be magnified as above. And therefore one must intend in his charity only for the honor of G-d — not for his own honor, G-d forbid. Not as is found with many people who give tzedakah only to those who have dominion and prestige in the world — and therefore the tzedakah is also for their honor. And upon the worthy and upright poor who engage in Torah and the service of G-d in truth — they pay no attention to them at all and avert their eyes from them. It is thus found that the tzedakah they give is only for their own honor. And even though certainly even in such tzedakah there are good points — but through tzedakah such as this, the aforementioned vessel is not made in perfection to receive through it the flow of the supernal delight in perfection. And therefore the essential repair of tzedakah is that it should be in the aspect of a minchah [meal-offering] — which is the sacrifice of the poor person, whose giving is small. And therefore he does not take pride in it — rather, his intention in his offering is only toward Heaven alone. Likewise the wealthy person — even though he gives much to tzedakah — far be it from him to be boastful in the aspect of tzedakah and to intend in it for his own honor. Rather, even though he gives much to tzedakah — even so, in his own eyes he should be like a poor person. For in truth before Him, blessed be He, all are poor — as it is written: "Who can precede Me and I will pay him?" [Job 41:3]. For everything is only from Him, blessed be He. As it is written: "For everything is Yours and from Your hand we have given You" [I Chronicles 29:14]. And therefore King David, peace be upon him, at the time he gave much wealth for the donation toward the Temple said: "And now I have prepared with my poverty, etc." [I Chronicles 29:14] — for he considered all his giving as poverty. And such tzedakah is very precious — for it is the aspect of the minchas ani [offering of the poor] — which is very beloved because his intention is only toward Heaven with no self-glorification whatsoever. And therefore such tzedakah is called by the name minchah — in the aspect of: "those who offer a minchah in righteousness" [Malachi 3:3].

One must give more tzedakah on the Festivals — in order to subdue the forehead [metzach] of the serpent and to reveal the forehead of will [metzach haratzon]. Through which one merits to hear the voice of the herald of Yom Tov — which calls out and reveals the will. Through which one merits the joy of Yom Tov. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said regarding Yom Tov: "If you gladden Mine — I will gladden yours." For through this one merits the joy of Yom Tov.

Through tzedakah one appeases the burning heat of the heart that blazes toward the desire for sexual union and the desire for money — both of which depend upon one another, as explained in the inner teachings.

One must give more tzedakah on the Festivals — in order to subdue the forehead [metzach] of the serpent and to reveal the forehead of will [metzach haratzon]. Through which one merits to hear the voice of the herald of Yom Tov — which calls out and reveals the will. Through which one merits the joy of Yom Tov. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said regarding Yom Tov: "If you gladden Mine — I will gladden yours." For through this one merits the joy of Yom Tov.