[Avodah] Onaas Devarim and the Pushy Shnorrer

[Saul Guberman]

On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 6:06 AM, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:

> Yesterday I was hounded by a collector for a tzedaqah who aparently
> couldn't believe that an American Jew would only have $1 in his
> pocket. Eventually, to get him off my case, I told him to give me a copy
> of his literature, in a wa that intimated that I would give more when
> I could.
>
> As soon as he walked away, I left the material on the table in the shul
> lobby used by everyone putting on tefillin. So, at least his literature
> was probably read by others.
>
> But I'm wondering if there is any tzad heter to what I did. I'm not
> asking simply to beat myself up; I think this is a situation most of us
> encounter frequently.
>

Once you have given the person some amount you have taken care of your
obligation to give tzedaqah.  Unless you explicitly tell the person you
will give more or  promise yourself/pledge that you will give more, taking
literature and deciding not to give more should be a valid option.

Saul
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