Giving Charity to Worthy People A person should ask God to keep him from giving charity to unworthy poor people. Instead, he should give generously to worthy poor people, with a good heart and a pleasant expression. As part of that, he should collect donations from other Jews to support poor people who engage in Torah study and prayer. This rectifies the blemish to the covenant. Giving Charity and Rectifying the Covenant Elevated and holy God, You bring about mighty things, You make new things. Master of wars, You sow righteousness, You cause salvation to flower. You bring about righteous matters for all creatures of flesh and spirit.
Treat me with charity and kindness. Help me give a great deal of charity to worthy poor people. May this be a great rectification for me after my having infinitely blemished the covenant in contravention of Your will.
Master of the world, You know how much I have removed the flow of holiness from myself as a result of blemishing the covenant. I have misdirected the flow of holiness to places where it cannot be remembered, may the Compassionate One protect us. I caused blemishes impossible to imagine. The rectification for this is giving charity to worthy poor people, as a result of which the flow of abundance is again drawn to holiness.
Finding Worthy Recipients But how does a person attain this? Due to the evil of my heart and my lack of trust and faith, obstacles that get in the way of performing the mitzvah of charity have increased a great deal.
Also, when I strengthen myself and break the cruelty in my heart and give charity, I do not know who is a truly worthy poor person through whom I will draw down the flow of the abundance of holiness in order to rectify the blemish of the covenant.
Therefore, I have come before You, Master of compassion, Master of charity and kindness, You Who make sure that no one will remain driven away from You, so that You will engage in my rectification at every moment. Have pity and mercy on me, and in Your vast compassion help me give a great deal of charity to truly worthy poor people who learn Torah and serve You in truth.
Guard me and rescue me so that I will not give charity to unworthy poor people. In Your compassion, You alone guard me against stumbling in this regard, Heaven forbid, for it is revealed and known to You that I do not have the awareness to be able to guard myself from them.
You alone know the hearts of all people and understand all their deeds. You know the secrets of the world and the secrets of every living being. Have pity and mercy on me and treat me in keeping with Your wondrous kindness. Bring about good at every moment by sending me truly worthy poor people through whom I may gain merit.
Help and strengthen my heart to give these people a great deal of charity, with a good heart and a pleasant expression. May I engage in much charity and kindness, and collect donations from Your nation, the Jewish people, to support poor people who engage in Torah study and prayer in truth.
Overcoming the Reluctance to Give Charity You have informed us that no Jew is free of the obligation to give charity, not even the poor. But You know the hardness of our hearts, and how obstacles overwhelm us and confusions prevent even very wealthy people from giving charity until they leave this world, taking nothing with them.
How much more is this a challenge for people whose income is constricted, until many obstacles and difficulties stand in the way of their performing the mitzvah of charity, particularly to help worthy poor people.
I have no one on whom to rely but You, my Father in Heaven, with the merit and power of the true Tzaddikim, on whom I rely for everything. I have stretched my hands out to You. My eyes are turned to You alone.
You alone know how much I need to rectify the covenant that I have blemished so much, and I am very far from achieving any of this. But I trust in Your vast compassion and I believe that in Your kindness, You will help me rectify myself completely.
Save me so that I will give much charity to many worthy poor people. May I engage in charitable work, persuading my fellow children of Israel to always deposit a great deal of charity with me for the support of Jews who truly fear HaShem. As a result, may I attain rectification of the covenant completely and truly, and not be ashamed before You.
(I found the following in the manuscript of our Rabbi [Nachman], may his memory be for a blessing. (It is a précis on the topic of pidyon [see Likutey Moharan I, 180] with a short prayer at its conclusion, and it fits well here.)
The root of judgments (din) is [the sefirah of] Binah (Understanding). “I am understanding, mine is might (gevurah).” Judgment is sweetened only at its root.
There are three hands in Binah — the great hand, the strong hand, the upraised hand. Three times [the numerical value of the word] yad (hand) is the numerical value of the Forty-Two-Letter [Divine] Name. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Yetzirah is [significant as corresponding to] the [Divine] Name [formed by the acronym of the 42 words that comprise the prayer] of Ana BaKo’ach. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Beriah is [significant as having the numerical value of the Divine Name] EHeYeH doubled. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Atzilut is [significant as having the numerical value of the Divine Name] Havayah — i.e., the simple spelling, the expansion, and the expansion of the expansion. May it be Your will that the judgments and harsh strictures against ([Hebrew name], the son/daughter of [mother’s Hebrew name]) will be sweetened by means of the supernal wonder, which is the [entity of] great kindnesses and complete and simple compassion that has no admixture of judgment at all. Amen.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה רס"ד - צְדָקָה הִיא תִּקּוּן הַבְּרִית]
מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ, פּוֹעֵל גְּבוּרוֹת, עוֹשֶׂה חֲדָשׁוֹת, בַּעַל מִלְחָמוֹת, זוֹרֵעַ צְדָקוֹת, מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעוֹת, עוֹשֶׂה צְדָקוֹת עִם כָּל בָּשָׂר וְרוּחַ,
Giving Charity to Worthy People
A person should ask God to keep him from giving charity to unworthy poor people. Instead, he should give generously to worthy poor people, with a good heart and a pleasant expression. As part of that, he should collect donations from other Jews to support poor people who engage in Torah study and prayer.
This rectifies the blemish to the covenant.
Giving Charity and Rectifying the Covenant
Elevated and holy God, You bring about mighty things, You make new things. Master of wars, You sow righteousness, You cause salvation to flower. You bring about righteous matters for all creatures of flesh and spirit.
עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד, וְזַכֵּנִי לִתֵּן צְדָקָה הַרְבֵּה לַעֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי תִקּוּן גָּדוֹל לִפְגָם הַבְּרִית שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי נֶגְדְּךָ בְּלִי שִׁעוּר.
Treat me with charity and kindness. Help me give a great deal of charity to worthy poor people. May this be a great rectification for me after my having infinitely blemished the covenant in contravention of Your will.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה הִרְחַקְתִּי הַשֶּׁפַע מֵהַקְּדֻשָּׁה עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַבְּרִית וְהִמְשַׁכְתִּי לְמָקוֹם שֶׁהִמְשַׁכְתִּי רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן, לִמְקוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִתַּן לְהִזָּכֵר, וּפָגַמְתִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי אֲשֶׁר אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר, אֲשֶׁר הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה הוּא צְדָקָה לַעֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים דַּוְקָא, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חוֹזְרִים וּמַמְשִׁיכִים הַשֶּׁפַע אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה,
Master of the world, You know how much I have removed the flow of holiness from myself as a result of blemishing the covenant. I have misdirected the flow of holiness to places where it cannot be remembered, may the Compassionate One protect us. I caused blemishes impossible to imagine. The rectification for this is giving charity to worthy poor people, as a result of which the flow of abundance is again drawn to holiness.
אֲבָל אֵיךְ זוֹכִין לָזֶה כִּי רַבּוּ הַמְּנִיעוֹת מְאֹד שֶׁל מִצְוַת צְדָקָה, הֵן מֵחֲמַת רֹעַ לְבָבֵנוּ וְחֶסְרוֹן הַבִּטָּחוֹן וְהָאֱמוּנָה,
Finding Worthy Recipients
But how does a person attain this? Due to the evil of my heart and my lack of trust and faith, obstacles that get in the way of performing the mitzvah of charity have increased a great deal.
וְגַם כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִים וּמְשַׁבְּרִים אַכְזָרִיּוּת שֶׁבַּלֵּב וְנוֹתְנִים צְדָקָה אֵין אִתָּנוּ יוֹדֵעַ עַד מָה, מִי הוּא הֶעָנִי הֶהָגוּן בֶּאֱמֶת, אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדוֹ נִזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשֶּׁפַע אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וּלְתַקֵּן פְּגָם הַבְּרִית עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה.
Also, when I strengthen myself and break the cruelty in my heart and give charity, I do not know who is a truly worthy poor person through whom I will draw down the flow of the abundance of holiness in order to rectify the blemish of the covenant.
עַל־כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים בַּעַל הַצְּדָקָה וְהַחֶסֶד, חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבַל יִדַּח מִמֶּנּוּ נִדָּח, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹסֵק בְּתִקּוּנִי בְּכָל־עֵת, שֶׁתָּחוֹס וְתַחְמֹל עָלַי, וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, לִתֵּן צְדָקָה הַרְבֵּה לַעֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים, עֲנִיִּים כְּשֵׁרִים בֶּאֱמֶת הָעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַעֲבוֹדַת יְהֹוָה בֶּאֱמֶת.
Therefore, I have come before You, Master of compassion, Master of charity and kindness, You Who make sure that no one will remain driven away from You, so that You will engage in my rectification at every moment. Have pity and mercy on me, and in Your vast compassion help me give a great deal of charity to truly worthy poor people who learn Torah and serve You in truth.
וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִלִּתֵּן צְדָקָה לַעֲנִיִּים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים, אַתָּה לְבַד תִּשְׁמְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ, מִלְּהִכָּשֵׁל בָּהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי גָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁאֵין בָּנוּ דַעַת לִשְׁמֹר מֵהֶם רַק אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ אֶת לְבַב כָּל בְּנֵי־הָאָדָם וּמֵבִין אֶל כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם.
Guard me and rescue me so that I will not give charity to unworthy poor people. In Your compassion, You alone guard me against stumbling in this regard, Heaven forbid, for it is revealed and known to You that I do not have the awareness to be able to guard myself from them.
אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ רָזֵי עוֹלָם וְתַעֲלוּמוֹת סִתְרֵי כָּל חָי. חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלַי וַעֲשֵׂה עִמִּי כְּגֹדֶל נִפְלְאוֹת חֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, וּתְסַבֵּב סִבּוֹת לְטוֹבָה בְּכָל־עֵת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתַּזְמִין לִי עֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים בֶּאֱמֶת לִזְכּוֹת בָּהֶם,
You alone know the hearts of all people and understand all their deeds. You know the secrets of the world and the secrets of every living being. Have pity and mercy on me and treat me in keeping with Your wondrous kindness. Bring about good at every moment by sending me truly worthy poor people through whom I may gain merit.
וְתַעֲזֹר וּתְחַזֵּק אֶת לְבָבִי לִתֵּן לָהֶם צְדָקָה הַרְבֵּה בְלֵב טוֹב בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת. וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהוֹסִיף בְּכָל פַּעַם לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּצְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד, וְלֵילֵךְ לְקַבֵּץ נְדָבוֹת מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַחֲזִיק עֲנִיִּים הָעוֹסְקִים בְּתוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה בֶּאֱמֶת.
Help and strengthen my heart to give these people a great deal of charity, with a good heart and a pleasant expression. May I engage in much charity and kindness, and collect donations from Your nation, the Jewish people, to support poor people who engage in Torah study and prayer in truth.
כִּי כְבָר הוֹדַעְתָּנוּ, שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל פָּטוּר מִמִּצְוַת צְדָקָה, אֲפִלּוּ הֶעָנִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ קַשְׁיוּת לְבָבֵנוּ, וְאֵיךְ מִתְגַּבְּרִים הַמּוֹנְעִים וְהַבִּלְבּוּלִים אֲפִלּוּ עַל גְּדוֹלֵי הָעֲשִׁירִים מִלִּתֵּן צְדָקָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר הוֹלְכִים מֵעוֹלָמָם וּמְאוּמָה לֹא יִשְׂאוּ בְיָדָם,
Overcoming the Reluctance to Give Charity
You have informed us that no Jew is free of the obligation to give charity, not even the poor. But You know the hardness of our hearts, and how obstacles overwhelm us and confusions prevent even very wealthy people from giving charity until they leave this world, taking nothing with them.
מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן קְטַנֵּי הָעֶרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר פַּרְנָסָתָם מְצֻמְצֶמֶת, אֲשֶׁר רַבּוּ הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְהַבִּלְבּוּלִים מְאֹד מִמִּצְוַת צְדָקָה, בִּפְרָט לִזְכּוֹת בַּעֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים.
How much more is this a challenge for people whose income is constricted, until many obstacles and difficulties stand in the way of their performing the mitzvah of charity, particularly to help worthy poor people.
עַל־כֵּן אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עָלֶיךָ אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, בִּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁאָנוּ נִשְׁעָנִים עֲלֵיהֶם בְּכָל דָּבָר. אֵלֶיךָ שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֶת כַּפָּי, עֵינַי תְּלוּיוֹת אֵלֶיךָ לְבַד,
I have no one on whom to rely but You, my Father in Heaven, with the merit and power of the true Tzaddikim, on whom I rely for everything. I have stretched my hands out to You. My eyes are turned to You alone.
כִּי אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה תִקּוּנִים אֲנִי צָרִיךְ בִּשְׁבִיל תִּקּוּן הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְתִּי בּוֹ הַרְבֵּה, וַאֲנִי רָחוֹק מִכֻּלָּם מְאֹד, רַק עַל רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ,
You alone know how much I need to rectify the covenant that I have blemished so much, and I am very far from achieving any of this. But I trust in Your vast compassion and I believe that in Your kindness, You will help me rectify myself completely.
וְעַל חַסְדְּךָ אֲנִי נִשְׁעָן, שֶׁאַתָּה תְסַבֵּב סִבּוֹת לְטוֹבָה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ, וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְתַקֵּן אוֹתִי בְּכָל הַתִּקּוּנִים, וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לִתֵּן צְדָקָה הַרְבֵּה לַעֲנִיִּים הֲגוּנִים הַרְבֵּה, וְלַעֲסֹק בִּצְדָקוֹת, לְעוֹרֵר לֵב אַחֵינוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם צְדָקוֹת הַרְבֵּה בְּכָל־עֵת, לְהַחֲזִיק יִרְאֵי יְהֹוָה הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְתִקּוּן הַבְּרִית בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלָא אֵעוּל בְּכִסּוּפָא קַמָּךְ.
Save me so that I will give much charity to many worthy poor people. May I engage in charitable work, persuading my fellow children of Israel to always deposit a great deal of charity with me for the support of Jews who truly fear HaShem. As a result, may I attain rectification of the covenant completely and truly, and not be ashamed before You.
יְהֹוָה יִגְמֹר בַּעֲדִי יְהֹוָה חַסְדְּךָ לְעוֹלָם מַעֲשֵׂי יָדֶיךָ אַל תֶּרֶף.
“HaShem will act on my behalf. HaShem, Your kindness is forever; do not forsake the work of Your hands.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. אָמֵן:
הַחֵלֶק הָרִאשׁוֹן תַּם וְנִשְׁלַם, שֶׁבַח לָאֵל בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָם
בָּרוּךְ הַנּוֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּחַ וּלְאֵין אוֹנִים עָצְמָה יַרְבֶּה
חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזֵּק:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen.
(רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאנוּ בִּכְּתַב יַד רַבֵּינוּ ז"ל: וְהוּא רָאׁשֵי פְּרָקִים מֵעִנְיַן פִּדְיוֹן [עַיֵּין בְּלִקוּטֵי מוֹהֲרַ"ן סִימָן ק"פ] עִם תְּפִילָה קְצָרָה בְּסוֹפוֹ ורָאוּי לְהַצִיָגה כָּאן).
(I found the following in the manuscript of our Rabbi [Nachman], may his memory be for a blessing. (It is a précis on the topic of pidyon [see Likutey Moharan I, 180] with a short prayer at its conclusion, and it fits well here.)
מָעוֹת, וְאֶת הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם.
Money — “and the possessions at their feet.”
צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ.
“Justice was at his feet.”
צֶדֶק מַלְכוּתָא קַדִיׁשָא.
“‘Justice’ is holy sovereignty.”
דִינָא דְמַלְכוּתָא דִינָא
“The law (din) of the sovereignty is the law.”
שׁוֹרֶשׁ הַדִינִים בִּינָה, אֲנִי בִּינָה לִי גְּבוּרָה, אֵין הַדִּין נִמְתָּק אֶלָא בְּשָׁרשׁוֹ.
The root of judgments (din) is [the sefirah of] Binah (Understanding). “I am understanding, mine is might (gevurah).” Judgment is sweetened only at its root.
שְׁלֹשָׁה יַדִּים בַּבִּינָה. יָד הַגְּדוֹלָה, יָד הַחֲזָקָה, יָד הָרָמָה, ג' פְּעָמִים יָד גִּימַטְּרִיָּא שֵׁם שֶׁל מ"ב, מ"ב שֶׁבִּיצִירָה שֵׁם שֶׁל אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ, מ"ב שֶׁבַּבְּרִיאָה שְׁנֵי פְּעָמִים אקי"ק, מ"ב שֶׁבַּאֲצִילוּת הוי' פָּשׁוּט בְּמִלּוּאוֹ וְמִלּוּי דְּמִלּוּי.
There are three hands in Binah — the great hand, the strong hand, the upraised hand. Three times [the numerical value of the word] yad (hand) is the numerical value of the Forty-Two-Letter [Divine] Name. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Yetzirah is [significant as corresponding to] the [Divine] Name [formed by the acronym of the 42 words that comprise the prayer] of Ana BaKo’ach. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Beriah is [significant as having the numerical value of the Divine Name] EHeYeH doubled. [The number] 42 in [the World of] Atzilut is [significant as having the numerical value of the Divine Name] Havayah — i.e., the simple spelling, the expansion, and the expansion of the expansion.
May it be Your will that the judgments and harsh strictures against ([Hebrew name], the son/daughter of [mother’s Hebrew name]) will be sweetened by means of the supernal wonder, which is the [entity of] great kindnesses and complete and simple compassion that has no admixture of judgment at all. Amen.