Matanot L'evyonim (Gifts of money to the Poor) - Rabbi Mickey Rosen reads the Rambam

[my_torah]

How much Matanot L’evyonim should one give at Purim?

My Rabbi, Mickey Rosen z”tl used to say
“You should give at least as much in matanot l’evyonim as you spend on your Purim Seuda (festive meal) and on Mishloach Manot (sending food presents to friends).“

I recall Mickey even did the maths for us, his congregation, one year from the bimah, saying something like:

"That means if you are having 10 people at your Purim Seudah and you are spending, say, £30 a head, that comes to £300 and if you spend £200 on Mishloach Manot to friends then you should at the very least be giving £500 in Matanot l'evyonim."

His source is the Rambam:

Mishneh Torah, Scroll of Esther and Hanukkah  2:17

מוּטָב לָאָדָם לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּמַתְּנוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים מִלְּהַרְבּוֹת בִּסְעֻדָּתוֹ וּבְשִׁלּוּחַ מָנוֹת לְרֵעָיו. שֶׁאֵין שָׁם שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמְפֹאָרָה אֶלָּא לְשַׂמֵּחַ לֵב עֲנִיִּים וִיתוֹמִים וְאַלְמָנוֹת וְגֵרִים. שֶׁהַמְשַׂמֵּחַ לֵב הָאֻמְלָלִים הָאֵלּוּ דּוֹמֶה לַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נז טו) "לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים"
It is preferable for a person to be more liberal with their donations to the poor than to be lavish in his preparation of the Purim feast or in sending portions to their friends. For there is no greater and more splendid happiness than to gladden the hearts of the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the stranger.

One who brings happiness to the hearts of these unfortunate individuals resembles the Shechinah, which Isaiah 57:15 describes as "reviving the spirit of the low and reviving the heart of the oppressed."

Trans. adapted from Eliyahu Touger, Moznaim Publishing

 

This Rambam could be understood in a wishy washy “it’s good to give Tsedakah” way.

But I believe that Mickey was understanding the Rambam here quantitively in the light of the principle he understood that human decency, mitzvot bein adam l’adam and helping the needy are particularly important and precious to God.

Jonathan Samuel             Feb 2023