[Avodah] Giving Tzedaka At Night

Prof. Levine llevine at stevens.edu
Wed Dec 7 06:40:07 PST 2011


 From http://revach.net/article.php?id=745

Btzel HaChochma: Giving Tzedaka At Night

It is written in the name of the Arizal that we don't give tzedoka at 
night. If so asks the Btzel HaChochma (5:143), it is a Mitzvas Aseh 
SheHazman Grama, a time dependent mitzva and women should be exempt. 
Yet we see that the Chinuch says both women and men have the mitzva 
of tzedoka. Why did the Arizal say not to give tzedoka at night?

Nighttime is a time of Din and since tzedoka is an act of Chesed its 
appropriate time is during the day. Therefore explains the Btzel 
HaChochma, since the Shulchan Aruch clearly states the amount one 
must give for tzedoka it is better to give it during the day because 
that is the proper time. If you need to give tzedoka at night it is 
preferable to set aside the money by day even if the poor person can 
only take it at night. Nevertheless if a poor person asks for money 
at night you are certainly obligated to give him and are not exempt 
even according to the Arizal.

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I have to admit that I find it annoying when someone who wants 
tzedaka rings my bell late at night.  YL

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