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From
<a href="http://revach.net/article.php?id=720" eudora="autourl">
http://revach.net/article.php?id=720</a> (Note the last two
sentences.) YL<br><br>
<font size=3>Shevet HeKehosi: Tell the Person Collecting "Daddy Is
Not Available"<br><br>
If someone knocks on the door collecting tzedoka and a child answers when
his father is sleeping should he wake up his father or not? The Shevet
HaKehosi (5:176) says no. Although the Sefer Chasidim says you should
wake up your father for a mitzva since it will make him happy,
nevertheless tzedoka is different. <br><br>
Firstly unless the son knows for a fact that his father has enough money
to support his family, he may not even be obligated to give tzedoka
according to some acharonim. Even according to those who say he is still
obligated, they agree that there is no mitzva to give this particular
collector. Additionally the son cannot be sure that this collector is
worthy. He may be a crook which is all too common nowadays, according to
the Shevet HaKehosi. Therefore it is better to ask the collector to come
back later unless the father specifically asks to be woken up. <br><br>
Interestingly the Sefer Chasidim says that Dama Ben Nesina did not wake
his father up to get the keys to sell the jewel to the Chachomim because
the profit was his alone. If his father would have profited from the sale
it would have been permissible to wake his father up. <br>
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