238 —נתינת צדקה בלילה וסיבות ההגבלות שלה

B"H, the fifth, Hei Tammuz 5706.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Question: In Nagid U'Mitzvah (in the morning prayer), it is stated that "at night is not a fitting time for tzedakah." Seemingly, on the contrary, since night is associated with gevurot (severity), it would be appropriate to increase tzedakah to sweeten them.

Answer: One can add another question to yours: What is the reason for the differences in this matter in the writings of the Arizal regarding why one should not give tzedakah at Maariv, as will be quoted below. To understand all this, we must first introduce that there are two approaches regarding mitzvot and their times: A) The essence of the mitzvah and its time are aligned—for example, Torah study at midnight when the Holy One comes to delight with the righteous in Gan Eden (Zohar I 72a, and more in discourses cited in Siddur at Tikkun Chatzot); not kindling fire on Shabbat day because then all harsh fires are hidden (Zohar II 253b; see also Sefer HaMitzvot by tzt"z on 'Do not kindle fire'). B) The essence of the mitzvah is opposite to its time and comes to rectify it—for example, blowing shofar on Rosh Hashanah as stated in Zohar III (99a): Israel asks for a shofar on the Day of Judgment so that judgment will not be aroused. In our matter, according to approach A: In the morning chesed awakens (Pri Etz Chaim Sha'ar HaTefillah ch. 2 etc.), so "one must give tzedakah every morning as in 'I will behold Your face in righteousness' before praying Shemoneh Esrei" (Sha'ar HaKavanot Shacharit D"A), and "at Minchah time is a time of judgments and it is not as necessary" (ibid., end of Minchah D"B), but "there is no need to give before Maariv like Shacharit because now is a time of harsh judgments" (ibid., Maariv D"A). According to approach B: Minchah prayer is "in the secret of gevurah and requires sweetening judgments; this sweetening is mainly through tzedakah as known; therefore one must give three times to tzedakah before Minchah (Kol Yaakov Siman Minchah), but 'at Maariv one should not give tzedakah because then judgments rule completely,' as it says 'do not muzzle an ox while threshing,' now is their time of rule and not their removal" (ibid., Maariv). This is understood based on what Ramaz writes on Ra'aya Mehemna (Zohar II 40b) explained in this discourse from 5695: The kelipot and sitra achra were also created and thus must receive some vitality; there are two kinds of vitality for kelipah: one allotted by Divine decree and another added by sinners. Note from our Sages (Shekalim ch. 5 halacha 4): Rav Chiya bar Papa used to distribute tzedakah at night; once he met Rabban Deruchaya who told him: Did our teacher not teach us 'do not move your neighbor's boundary'? According to this, it's simple—no need for Kehillas Avraham's explanation that it's because he left—and in Siman Rosh Mashkov he adds further on Maharik that "one should not give tzedakah at Maariv because then it is night and judgments prevail, fearing grasp by external forces."

The general difficulty here is that tzedakah is a positive commandment not bound by time—how can it be said that it does not apply at night? Seemingly one could answer that Arizal refers specifically to the obligation of giving tzedakah before prayer; thus only before Maariv does he say not to give. But this cannot be since his reason—because night is a time of judgments—applies all night. Perhaps one can say there are two modes in giving tzedakah: A) When seeing a poor person requesting help—then it says 'do not harden your heart,' and one must give immediately as ruled in Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah beginning Siman 247) from Nachum Ish Gamzu's story; B) Not withholding oneself from giving even if no poor person comes asking (Bava Batra 9a; ruled there). Arizal refers to the latter case (see Sha'ar HaKavanot where he gave to a charity collector rather than directly to a poor person). In contrast, for case A there is no difference between day or night—as written 'do not harden your heart.' Do not ask that ultimately due to nighttime being a period of judgments etc., what difference does it make between cases A and B? There’s a big difference: since Heaven arranged for a poor person to come request—not that you went out seeking him—it’s an indication this does not affect what was allotted by Divine decree. That suffices.

Still, further analysis is needed based on what Admur Hazaken writes in his introduction to Siman and Iggeret HaKodesh section 8 explaining why we give a coin before prayer—that it draws down blessing even physically—so seemingly this should apply even at Maariv. Perhaps one can say Maariv differs since all draw-downs dependent on us were already accomplished at Shacharit and Minchah—as known regarding Tachanun being optional—or perhaps only during Shacharit/Minchah when Malchut ascends above do we need special effort for physicality, whereas at Maariv Malchut descends into Beriah-Yetzirah-Asiyah, especially since nighttime is when she brings food home. Still needs clarification.

Blessings for immediate teshuvah and immediate redemption.

In Haggadah Bechipazon Pesach (section Ayin Sif Gimmel Din Alef), he brings from Maaseh HaTzedakah that every night after counting Omer one should give a coin for tikkun if upper chasadim were damaged. I do not know who authored Maaseh Tzedakah—apparently among Sephardic kabbalists—but if he’s reliable according to Arizal’s tradition then seemingly there’s difficulty with his statement about giving tzedakah at night. However, based on what was explained above this too can be resolved: he refers specifically to rectifying damage done—which does not relate to what was allotted by Divine decree.

Summary

This letter analyzes mystical reasons behind restrictions on giving tzedakah at night while clarifying exceptions when direct requests arise or repair for spiritual damage is needed. It distinguishes between routine charity practices versus urgent responses prompted by Divine providence.