2404 —צדקה כחלק מעשר או חומש וברכת חמשת מונים

B"H, 11 Shevat, 5714.

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive greetings from you through Haraha"ch Havavac"h Iy"a Nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Mohar Yehuda Leib HaLevi Horowitz, along with the enclosed check for 200 from last Yom Kippur's appeal. Just as every living thing grows—and especially matters of holiness—I was pleased that this year's appeal income was greater than last year, although it is still far from sufficient for the needs and expenses of the matters for which these funds are used. However, I hope this will be a good beginning to continue increasing more and more.

It is well known the saying of my father-in-law, the Rebbe zatzal—whose yahrzeit we observed last night—that when a Jew decides to give a larger sum to charity, even if at that moment he does not see how it is possible or where he will get the money from, Above immediately new channels are opened for him so that he receives additional blessing in his livelihood and can fulfill his good resolution in actual deed. To these words of the Rebbe one can add: since charity is a portion of maaser or chomesh (a tenth or a fifth), Above decrees an increase at least five times as much as he decided to give to charity, and the remaining four portions stay with him for his personal matters.

With blessings that the mitzvah of tzedakah should bring each of you the blessings of Hashem Yisbarach—which are themselves an act of tzedakah—and this should be expressed in everything each one of you needs.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that giving generously to charity opens new channels of blessing from Above—at least fivefold what one gives—enabling both fulfillment of one's resolutions and abundance in personal needs.