Matanot L’Evyonim



Matanot L’Evyonim

Aryeh Lebowitz

I. Introduction. When one thinks of the holiday of Purim we immediately think of the festive atmosphere of the day as well as the particular mitzvoth associated with Purim. We are trained form a very young age to appreciate the importance of kriat hamegillah and mishloach manot. Many people become totally consumed with these mitzvoth while all but ignoring the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim. Most people do not associate matanot l’evyonim with the joy and festive atmosphere of Purim. However, the Rambam (Hilchot Megillah 2:17) rules that it is better to expend more energy on matanot l’evyonim than on the other two mitzvoth. Indeed, the Rambam explains that the ultimate sensation of joy that can be experienced is achieved through matanot l’evyonim. This week we will focus on the details of the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim.

II. Who is obligated in this ϖυμν? The Mishnah Berurah rules that everybody is obligated in the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim.

1. Poor people. The Bach and Taz (694) rule that even a poor person is obligated in the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim. The Pri Chadash, however, strongly disagrees with the Bach on the grounds that it seems senseless to require a person who is in need of financial assistance in the mitzvah of providing others with such assistance. The Pri Chadash is especially difficult to understand in light of the fact that the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 248:1) rules that a poor person who is supported from tzedakah funds is obligated in the regular mitzvah of tzedakah. It should therefore come as no surprise that the poor person would also be obligated in the special mitzvah of tzedakah associated with Purim.

2. Women. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 695:4) rules that women are obligated in the mitzvah of matanot l'evyonim. The Mishnah Berurah (695:25) notes that the common practice seems to be that most women don't give, and he suggests that the Shulchan Aruch only obligates a divorcee or a widow to give matanot l’evyonim. A married woman, however, may discharge her obligation through her husband’s mitzvah. The Aruch Hashulchan (694:2) agrees with the Mishnah Berurah and explains that this ruling is based on the well-known Talmudic principle of ishto k’gufo (one’s wife is like himself). The application of the principle of ishto k’gufo in this area is somewhat questionable. Rav Yosef Dov Soloveithchik zt”l pointed out that the Talmud never used the principle of ishto k’gufo to exempt a woman in a personal mitzvah. We do not find by kiddush, for example, that a woman who does not hear kiddush can fulfill her obligation with her husband’s kiddush that is not recited in her presence. Perhaps based on this logic, the Mishnah Berurah recommends that we be encourage women (even married) to give their own matanot l’evyonim.

3. Children. The poskim debate whether a child over the age of bar or bat mitzvah who are supported by their parents are obligated to give their own matanot l’evyonim. The Aruch Hashulchan (694:2) rules that a child pver the age of bar mitzvah must give separately from their parents to fulfill their obligation of matanot l’evyonim. However, Responsa Kinyan Torah (1:132 cited by Piskei Teshuvot) rules that a child who is supported by his parents and does not have any source of income is not obligated to take extra money from his parents in order to fulfill the obligation of matanot l’evyonim. If the child does have an income, even if it is not enough money to support himself, and he is supported by his parents, even Kinyan Torah concedes that he is obligated.

Pri Megadim (Esghel Avraham 695:14) rules that children under the age of bar or bat mitzvah should be trained in the mitzvah and are therefore subject to the same basic guidelines as children over the age of bar or bat mitzvah.

III. What must be given? The gemara (Megillah 7a) states that one is obligated to give two matanot to two poor people (one for each person). Shulchan Aruch (694:1) quotes this as normative p’sak.

A. How much must be given?

1. The Mishnah Berurah (694:2 citing Ritva Megillah 7a) rules that one may even give a tiny amount of money to each of the poor people and thereby discharge his obligation. Rav Ovadiah Yosef SHLIT”A (Chazon Ovadiah page 166) understands this to mean that one may give the smallest currency in that particular country (e.g. a penny in America, five agurot in Israel).

2. The Maharsha (Megillah 7b) rules that one must give a significant portion in order to fulfill the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim. Responsa Zera Yakov (11, cited by Sharei Teshuva 694:1 and Kaf Hachaim 694:7) quantifies this in ruling that one must give an amount of food that is equivalent to three eggs volume of bread. As a practical matter, Responsa Tzitz Eliezer (7:27:15) notes that some poskim thought to rule in accordance with the Zera Yakov, but changed their minds upon seeing the words of the Ritva. Certainly all would agree that ideally one should give as much as possible, and should even spend more on matanot l’evyonim than on mishloach manot (see Rambam cited in introduction to this essay).

B. May one give something other than money? There is a dispute amongst the poskim as to whether one can fulfill his obligation of matanot l’evyonim by giving something other than food or money. Responsa Kinyan Torah (3:102:2) rules that one should always give money to the poor people. However, Leket Tov (2:163 cited by Chazon Ovadiah footnote 3) and Turei Even (Megillah 7a) rule that anything, including clothing, may be given to the poor in fulfillment of this mitzvah.

IV. How and to whom should it be given?

A. Anonymous gifts. Regarding the mitzvah of tzedakah the poskim rule that an anonymous gift is a higher greater form of the mitzvah than a gift that the recipient knows who had sent it. Regarding the unique mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim, however, Rabbi Yosef Engel (Gilyonei Hashas, Shabbat 10a) writes that since the mitzvah is titled matanot l’evyonim one must inform the recipient where the gift is coming from in keeping with the general Talmudic rule that one who gives a gift (matanah) to his friend must inform him of the gift. However, many poskim (Responsa Kinyan Torah 3:102:4, Chazon Ovadiah 7) disagree with this novel idea developed by Rav Yosef Engel. They reason that since giving anonymously is a higher level gift, the same would apply to the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim.

B. How poor must the recipient be?

1. Opinion of the Mekor Chaim (694:3). The definition of an evyon is not the same as the definition of an ani. An evyon is somebody who is not merely poor, but is so destitute that he is no longer embarrassed to ask for money. The mitzvah of giving to the poor on Purim is limited to those who are so destitute that they are not even embarrassed to ask for money.

2. Opinion of the Aruch Hashulchan (694:3). Although generally there is a distinction to be drawn between an evyon and an ani, the mitzvah of matanot l’evyonim can be fulfilled by giving to either a poor person or a totally destitute person. In the view of the Aruch Hashulchan, the only reason that the megillah specified to give to an evyon is to teach that we can fulfill this obligation even if he does not initiate the exchange but is prompted to give the money.

C. Can one give the money to people that you normally support? The Aruch Hashulchan (694:4) writes that many people mistakenly think that one can give matanot l'evyonim to somebody that they normally support anyway. The Aruch Hashulchan claims that such an idea is entirely false. The mitzvah must be performed with money

that one would not otherwise give away (e.g. not with ma'aser money).

V. Conclusion. This essay is far from an exhaustive analysis of all of the issues pertaining to the obligation of matanot l’evyonim. We have merely touched upon many aspects relating to the mitzvah in the hope of raising awareness and promoting proper performance of this most important mitzvah.

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