Besides the straightforward donation of money to the poor, certain other expenditures are also considered to be charity in the Halachic sense. Thus, if one is of very limited means, his support of his children above the age at which they are deemed capable of supporting themselves is considered charity. The same applies to a person who supports his parents. Donating money to an individual to enable him to study Torah or directly to a Torah institution is also considered charity.

Contemporary Rabbinic authorities differ as to whether the purchase of a seat in a synagogue is considered a charitable contribution or merely payment for services rendered.

 There are also criteria of priority in the allocation of charity. The general rule states that “the poor of one's own community take precedence.” (This rule is further refined to give precedence to the poor members of one’s own family.)

 

 The poor of the Land of Israel take precedence over the poor of other lands, but whether the poor of the Land of Israel take precedence over the poor of one's own city is a matter of Rabbinic dispute. Women take precedence over men.

 Every town in which there are Jews is required to have a charity fund, with at least two individuals appointed to administer it.

As the Talmud explains it, the basic charity fund, named kuppah - or “the chest”- must disburse a full week's needs to every poor family each Friday. Some cities had an additional fund, named Tamchui, which would collect food from various householders and would distribute enough for two meals each evening to those in need. While the kuppah was available only to local residents, the Tamchui was open to anyone in need, and helped wayfarers who were passing through. There are clear criteria as to who must contribute toward the different needs of the poor. Thus, one who has lived in a town for 30 days must donate to the kuppah, while one who has been a resident for three months must contribute to the Tamchui.

 

CHARITY

 

 A person must be scrupulous in fulfilling the commandment to give charity for his is the sign of a descendant of Abraham.

 

 Israel will be redeemed through acts of charity.

 

 As great as is the commandment of charity, even greater is persuading another to give charity.

 

Charity is one of the things whose profits man enjoys in his world, but whose principal remains for the world to come.

 

 Charity is equal to all the other commandments combined.

 

 Everyone should give charity; even he who depends on charity should give to those who are even less fortunate.

 

 It is better not to give charity than to do so and shame the recipient publicly.

 

 He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to the Lord.

 

 Nobody is ever impoverished through giving charity.

 

 Do not humiliate a beggar; God is beside him.