Q: Are you really supposed to give matanos la’evyonim to anyone that extends their hand?
A: There’s a difference between each person’s obligation to give matanos la’evyonim (gifts to the poor) on Purim and general tzedakah that’s dispersed by community representatives on Purim. Many shuls or communities will collect for the needy on Purim so that they have enough meat and food for their seudos. The concept of “kol haposhet yad nosnim lo—anybody who opens up his hand, you give to him” applies to this general collection, giving out tzedakah on behalf of the community.
When it comes to the mitzvah of matanos la’evyonim, we don’t say, “Anybody who comes along and claims that they’re poor, give to them without investigation.” You should give tzedakah to somebody who’s actually in need, somebody who is actually an ani. (Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah, explains there is a difference between an ani and evyon: An ani is a poor person, and an evyon is somebody who is really destitute. But the poskim say that it’s not specific here. The phrase matanos la’evyonim, applies to all poor people.) So, to fulfill the mitzvah of matanos la’evyonim, you need to make sure that you give a gift to two poor people.
Q: Why is it that for communal Purim tzedakah we say “kol haposhet yad nosnim lo”?
A: Purim is a day of tremendous simchah for Klal Yisrael. Chazal wanted it to be a joyous day for everyone, and special collections were made so that everyone would have what they needed. When a person is joyous, they feel generous and tend to give even beyond what they would normally give. They aren’t exacting with who they give to. Therefore, since the collection is done for simchah, it should also be given with a spirit of simchah. These funds are not bound by the regular halachos of tzedakah, and we are allowed to give them to people who come along and say that they are in need, without investigation.
Q: Many institutions fundraise on Purim; does donating to them fulfill the mitzvah of matanos la’evyonim or apply to the concept of kol haposhet yad nosnim lo?
A: It’s important to note that the halachos of matanos la’evyonim and kol haposhet yad nosnim lo only apply to individual poor people. It’s become common that people collect for mosdos (institutions) on Purim because people are feeling generous, so why not ask for this shul or this chesed organization? But you cannot fulfill your obligation of matanos la’evyonim by giving to mosdos, and the communal funds that are collected for Purim should not be given to mosdos. Purim is about rejoicing and being besimchah with people, and the mitzvos of the day like mishloach manos and matanos la’evyonim are to bring joy to individual people, not to mosdos. So, for the day of Purim, if you have a certain amount of money to give, it’s best to give it to individuals who say they need it, rather than communal organizations.
This is different than Purim-specific organizations that collect on behalf of individuals so that a person’s donations are distributed to specific poor people on the day of Purim. This would fulfill the mitzvah of matanos la’evyonim.
Q: How should we view the growing practice of children collecting tzedakah for institutions on Purim?
A: It does not sit well with me that organizations are using children to collect tzedakah for them by offering incentives of prizes and rewards. I don’t know if there are any rabbis who encourage this practice, but to me it doesn’t seem like a correct practice.
If there’s a family who feels strongly about supporting the work of an organization, and the child understands the seriousness and the value of raising money for an important cause, that’s one thing. On the contrary, my friend Natan Bane pointed out that it could be a very impactful chinuch experience for the child, to teach them how to raise money and to develop the muscle of putting oneself out there for important causes. Additionally, if the collecting is done together with a devoted parent, a child learns the seriousness of collecting community funds.
But for an organization to offer incentives to get children to do things not befitting for children to do and to spend a significant portion of their Purim harassing adults and saying, “I’m collecting for such and such,” I don’t think that’s correct. On top of that, there are some poskim who say that children are not allowed to collect tzedakah because they’re minors and can’t be trusted to guard tzedakah money. My personal belief and approach is to place the bulk of the responsibility for change on the parents. I think each parent should guide their child in how to spend their Purim. If your child says they want to collect for an organization, look into it and ask why and how. Show your child how Purim should be spent, with celebrations rooted in avodas Hashem and uplifting the spirits of those less fortunate than you.
Rabbi Ezra Sarna is OU director of Torah and Halacha Initiatives.