Tzedakah

The latter is typically understood as a spontaneous act of goodwill and a marker of generosity; tzedakah is an ethical obligation, and it is not properly "charity", like in Christendom, but a way to empower poor people to support themselves, helping them in developing their talents and skills.

In the Middle Ages, Maimonides conceived of an eight-level hierarchy of tzedakah, where the highest form is to give a gift, loan, or partnership that will result in the recipient becoming self-sufficient instead of living upon others.

[6][7][5] Today, however, it is evident that it is not very correct to use some expressions such as "charity" or "alms", it is not always accepted, in fact even parents have the duty to give to their children and this is considered Tzedakah, also thanks to the abundance of products and money in most of cases.

[8] In classical rabbinical literature, it was argued that the Biblical regulations concerning left-overs only applied to cereal grain fields, orchards, and vineyards, and not to vegetable gardens.

At Purim it is considered obligatory for every Jew to give food to one other person, and gifts to at least two poor people,[15] in an amount that would equate to a meal each, for the purpose of increasing the total happiness during the month.

As for the more limited form of tzedakah expressed in the biblical laws, namely the leaving of gleanings from certain crops, the Shulchan Aruch argues that during The Exile Jewish farmers are not obliged to obey it.

Dvēyre-Ēster Helfer (1817–1907), known to Vilna's Jews for her integrity and wisdom, was legendary for her ability to help people in trouble, although she and her husband were not wealthy.

Aided by her phenomenal memory, she was able to touch the right people at the right time to help individuals throughout her life, many of whom came to see her as a sort of saint who not only found money for her, but also offered special blessings accompanying her charitable gifts.

She also helped fund a prayerhouse dedicated to charity for the needy that was known colloquially by her name; in her lifetime she came to be seen as a saint, while her death was commemorated in ways usually reserved for religious figures; and her portrait often hung next to the Gaon's in the homes of Vilna's Jews.

[21] TAT (an acronym for Tomchei Torah) is an institutionalized arrangement whereby money is donated for either one-time (e.g. wedding) expenses or ongoing support, for the adult (and often married) yeshiva students.