“Charity rescues from death” (Mishlei 10:2)
The Gemara expounds (Shabbat 156b), “This does not refer to a strange death, but to death itself.”
Ten difficult things were created in the world… and death is the most difficult of all. And charity rescues from death (Bava Batra 10a).
“One who pursues charity and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor (Mishlei 21:21)
Metzudat David says that one who pursues charity and kindness will receive life, righteousness, and honor from Hashem.
“One who salts his money lacks it” (Ketubot 66b). Rashi expounds: One who wants to preserve his money should reduce it by giving it to charity. This deduction from his money ensures its endurance.
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan Rami: The pasuk says, “Wealth will not avail in the day of wrath, but charity will rescue from death.” Another pasuk says, “Treasures of wickedness will not avail, but charity rescues from death.” Why is charity mentioned twice? One time refers to rescuing a person from a strange death, and the other time refers to rescuing a person from Gehinnom (Bava Batra 10a).
King Munbaz emptied his treasure-houses during the years of famine. His relatives gathered before him and accused him, “Your fathers stored away huge sums of money, and here you go and waste it all!”
To which he replied, “My fathers stored their wealth down below, whereas I am storing them Above, as the verse states, ‘Truth will sprout from the earth, and charity will peer from heaven.’ My fathers stored their assets in a place where people can get to them, but I stored mine in a place inaccessible to human beings, as we are further told, ‘Charity and justice are Your throne’s foundation.’
“My fathers stored that which does not accrue interest, whereas I accrued that which produces interest, as the Navi Yeshayahu says, ‘Tell [each] righteous man that it is good, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.’ My fathers stored treasures of money, whereas I stored treasures of souls, as it says, ‘The fruit of a righteous one is a tree of life, and a wise man acquires souls.’ My fathers stored for others after them, whereas I stored for myself, as we are told, ‘For you it will be an act of righteousness.’ My fathers stored for this world, while I stored for the World to Come, as we read, ‘You righteous deed will precede you and the glory of Hashem will gather you in’” (Bava Batra 11a).
The Gemara (Bava Batra 11a) relates an inspiring narrative: Binyamin HaTzaddik was the manager of the charity fund. During a drought, a woman tearfully approached him, asking for his financial support. He replied that the funds were dry. She said, “My master, if you do not provide for me, a woman and her seven children will perish.” He gave her of his own money.
Sometime later, he fell ill and was on the verge of death. The administering angels came before Hashem with a grievance, “Ribbono shel Olam! You said that whoever sustains a Jewish soul is considered as sustaining an entire world. How can Binyamin HaTzaddik, who supported a woman and her seven children, die so shortly afterward?”
The decree of death was immediately rescinded, and twenty-two years were added to his life.
Rabbeinu Bachya (Bereishit 47) explains that charity means giving of one’s own to those in need. There are various levels of charity. The lowest level is offering a coin to a gentile pauper. The next level is to give money to a Jew in a different city. A higher level is to give money to a poor person in one’s own town. A greater level is giving to a poor relative. An even greater level is supporting one’s children. And the highest form of tzedakah is supporting one’s parents, for this contains an element of honoring one’s father and mother. There is no greater tzedakah than this, and its reward is long life.
