Just Tzedakah

What Our Sages Say About...
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Fraud Tradition looks askance at those who ask for tzedakah but do not need it...

One who accepts tzedakah but does not
need it will not leave this world until he
comes to need it. Ketuvot 68a

But frauds inadvertently serve an important purpose for the rest of us...

Rabbi Chanina would regularly send four zuzim to a certain poor person on the eve of every Sabbath.

One day, he sent the money with his wife.

When she returned she said
"The person does not need the money."
[Rabbi Chanina asked] "What did you see?"

"I heard him being asked whether he wanted his table set with gold or the silver linens."
[Rabbi Chanina replied] "Rabbi Elauzer says: 'be thankful for frauds for without them we would be sinners every day. As it is said (Deuteronomy 15:9)

"[if you don't give to your needy brother] he will complain about you to God and there will be within you sin."'" (Op cit 67b)

Rabbi Chanina's message is clear. If not for frauds, we would be obligated to give to everyone who asked. The possibility of fraudulent requests gives us the excuse to say "no" without sinning.