Today's Halachos dedicated by a daily reader as a zechus Refuah Shelaima for Chaim Yosef Meir Ben Miriam Henya, a 13 year old boy who needs Rachmei Shamayaim. Please daven and learn for his Refuah Shelaima B'Soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel.
CURRENT TOPIC:
HALACHOS OF CHODESH NISAN AND PESACH
1) There is an age old minhag (as the Rama refers to it but it's actually a halacha; See Sha'ar Hatziyun 429:7), dating back to at least the times of the Talmud (as it is referenced in Talmud Yerushalmi Bava Basra Perek 1 Halacha 4), for all dwellers of a city to give money to the poor of their town to ensure that they are able to purchase their needs for Pesach.
This Tzedakah, which is traditionally raised starting 30 days before Pesach, is referred to as "Ma'os Chitim" (Literally, money for wheat) as they used to provide them with wheat for use in their Matzos.
In later times the minhag was to give them flour (and referred to as Kimcha D'Pischa, literally flour for Pesach), and nowadays the minhag is to give money to enable them to buy Matzos and any other Pesach needs for themselves and their families.
2) Anyone who withholds from participating in this Mitzvah is transgressing a big sin, as the poor people rely on this money (See Mishna Berura Siman 429:6. See Sha'ar Hatziyun Os 10 why this Tzedakah is most important specifically before Pesach)
There is no set amount to give for Ma'os Chitim. The objective is to ensure that every poor person in every city has all their Yom Tov needs taken care of, thus each town should take stock of their people's needs and have every member of the town give their fair share. (See Mishna Berura Siman 429:4)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
Before Pesach I get many letters from variuos Tzedaka organizations requesting money for their cause. Say I get about 100 letters in the mail this month. Is it better to give to one organization $100 or $1 to 100 organizations?
Answer:
It is better to spread the wealth rather than give all your Tzedaka dollars to one place. This doesnt mean you can't give more to causes you feel for and not at all to a cause that doesnt touch your heart,it just means that it is praiseworthy to spread it out. (See Rambam to Pirkei Avos Perk 3 Mishna 15 ). There are also halachic guidelines about who takes precedence over others, as we have discussed in Hilchos Ma'aser Kesafim.
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal and the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal. May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal Yisroel.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
"Woe to a person who is not aware of his faults, for he does not know what to correct. But double woe to a person who is not aware of his virtues, for he is lacking the tools needed to correct himself."
Rav Yerucham Levovitz Zatzal, Mashgiach of Mir quoted in Sefer Torah Tavlin
Important Numbers
