Tzedakah: returning money entrusted to us for the poor

[GeratTzedek]

Scripture instructs us not to harvest the corners of our field. It says that if we accidently drop something while harvesting, to leave it for the poor. It directs us to set aside 10% for the poor. This collectively is known as Tzedakah. Tzedakah is not charity, not giving out of love and compassion; Tzedakah is social justice. In Judaism, the rabbis paraphrase Tzedakah as follows: All money belongs to G-d, and some of the money he has given us is NOT OURS, but has only entrusted to us for the poor. To keep it is to steal from those to whom it rightly belongs. Our job is basically to give it away. I must question myself from time to time, am I behind on my Tzedakah?

I find no similar concept in Christianity even though we share the same Hebrew Scriptures.

I would be interested in listening to your responses to this idea.

 

[TheReasoner]

Well... Matthew 25 is pretty clear on it:
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Mark 12:38-40 also speak of what will happen to those who prey on the poor.

Luke 12:33 says 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Acts also speaks of the poor several times. A man named Cornelius is mentioned, and his gifts to the poor are focused on:
Acts 10: 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"

4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.

The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

And then James 2:2-6 says:
2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

And I think I'll close with 1 John 3:17-18 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

 

[ebia]

Scripture instructs us not to harvest the corners of our field. It says that if we accidently drop something while harvesting, to leave it for the poor. It directs us to set aside 10% for the poor. This collectively is known as Tzedakah. Tzedakah is not charity, not giving out of love and compassion; Tzedakah is social justice. In Judaism, the rabbis paraphrase Tzedakah as follows: All money belongs to G-d, and some of the money he has given us is NOT OURS, but has only entrusted to us for the poor. To keep it is to steal from those to whom it rightly belongs. Our job is basically to give it away. I must question myself from time to time, am I behind on my Tzedakah?

I find no similar concept in Christianity even though we share the same Hebrew Scriptures.

I would be interested in listening to your responses to this idea.

The strands of Christianity I'm familiar with (Catholic and Anglican) have a strong sense of the command to social justice, and indeed many Anglican liturgies include during the offertory the scriptural line "... all things come from you, and of your own do we give you".

What Christianity doesn't have is the specifics of any kind of figure - which is both a strength and a weakness.