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Sep 8, 2010
Zchus for the Yomim Noraim
I saw something last night in shul and was thinking about it. The truth is that it is a fairly common occurrence - the same thing happens probably every night, maybe even two or three times a night, and at other times of day as well.
A young fellow walked into the shul. He walked around flipping open a folder with a letter, seemingly a letter of approbation attesting to his need to collect tzedaka and the worthiness of the cause.
I watched him walk around the beis medrash, approaching every single person learning there - a total of about 30 people or so. Every person gave him something - 1 shekel, 2 shekel, maybe a tiny bit more. The guy made, in 5 minutes of "work", maybe 30 or 40 shekels. And not a single person actually looked at his piece of paper. Nobody knew why he was collecting or was interested in seeing who confirmed his status of being needy.
Am Yisrael gives tzedaka. Yes there are frauds out there, but that doesn't deter us. We trust most of the people who approach us. He must be needy if he is degrading himself to ask. We are willing to take the chance, for a small amount of money, that he might be a fraud, because if he is real the mitzva is so great.
May it be a zechus for klal yisrael in the upcoming days..
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yomim noraim
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Imagine the zchus if people would take those same 1,2 and 5 shekel coins and give them to LOCAL needy.
ReplyDeleteOur local tzedaka organizations are choking while many give a lot to others.
Did someone mention local tzedakah .....
ReplyDeleteIts only a matter of times until .....
3.....2.....1.....
Start the attack against the Kuppa.... followed by the attack on the "kanoim" in BTYA...... followed by the personal attacks against their overly zealous Rabbi. Followed, of course, by praise for the Almighty and His trusted oved Rabbi Sol Solo Solov Soloveit Soloveitchik and LA, the worlds greatest, world famous chairty and chesed organiation, which of course leads to more bashing of the Kuppa etc etc etc
Its just a matter of time. Its always happens when the issue of local tzedakah gets mentioned.
Anon of 4:35,
ReplyDeleteRefuah Shleima and Shana Tova.
Your assumption seems to be incorrect. It is always dangerous to assume because when you assume you make an a&* out of u and me.
I hope that you dispose of your hatred before RH..it would be healthy for your neshoma.
Anon of 4:35,
ReplyDeleteSeems like that the only one bashing here is....
YOU!
Israel ranks #36 in the world in this report that just came out today.
ReplyDeleteThird in the Middle East.
If the survey would have just included the religious, I'm guessing we would have ranked #1.
Each time we give tzedaka and don't look too closely at the piece of paper we give the collector the benefit of the doubt. May this be a zchus for each time we stand before Hashem with our tefillot, with our questionable 'references' and may He give us the benefit of the doubt and not look too closely at our 'qualifications'.
ReplyDelete