Publicity 1. One should not boast about his charity (ג”סי ט”רמ’ סי א”רמ .(Nevertheless, if one donates an item, it is permissible, and proper, to inscribe his name upon it (א ”תקפ’ סי א”ח א ”רשב ( as reward for his Mitzva and to inspire others to do likewise. 2. It is likewise permissible for a Gabbai to publicize donors’ names (ג”סכ ד”קמ כלל א”חכ.( Mental Commitments 3. If one thought to donate, even though he did not verbalize it, he is obligated to donate the amount he .( רמ”א סי’ רנ”ח סי”ג) mind in had 4. If one is inspired to give a generous sum to a Tzedakah, but later has second thoughts about the amount. If he did not mentally committed, he is not obligated to follow through and may give a different amount, .( קנה בשם ח”ב סי’ ק”י אות ב ) 5. If one sees a pauper and commits mentally to give him money. If the pauper left, one is not obligated to chase him down. The reason being, the commitment was considered conditional to the pauper asking him, and not him chasing the pauper. Hence, he is not obligated to give the money to even another pauper .( קנה בשם שם) Tzedakah ot “Asmachta” 6. Question: If someone pledges to triple whatever his friend will donate, thinking he would not donate a significant amount, and surprisingly he did. Is one obligated to fulfill his pledge? ,However(. יו”ד סי’ רנ”ח ס”י, וברמ”א חו”מ סי’ ר”ז סי”ט ( promise his respect to obligated is One: Answer. 7 if it was a mere exaggeration and thought his friend would not donate, some hold that it is not a valid pledge and hence does not have to pay (מ”ש’ סי ו” ח הקהתי שבט .( Others hold that the pledge is a binding commitment [based on the rule of Asmachta]. However, he may request a release from his vow [Hataras .(שבט הלוי יו”ד סי’ קכ”ג, צדקה ומשפט פ”ד סל “ט) pledge the cancel to] Nedarim Order of Precedence Relatives 8. The Sifri (ז, טו דברים ( establishes priorities to whom to give Tzedakah. Relatives, even from a different city precede poor people from the giver’s city and precede even Torah scholars (שם א”רע הגהות .( The order of relatives is as follows: שד”ח כללים פאת ) Grandparents) c ), שם) Children Adult) b ), שו” ע סי’ רנ”א ס”ג וברמ”א ) Parents) a. 9 שערי צדק ) law-in-Parents) e ), שד”ח שם) Grandchildren) d ), י”ט ‘ השדה מערכת הב ‘ סי’ ח”י, צו”מ פ”ג הע שערי צדק שם ) brothers other precede brother older an and ) ש”ך סק”ז) brothers Paternal) f), פ”ז סק”כ .siblings Maternal) g ), ביאור הגר”א) Sisters or ) סקי”ט 10. There is no order of precedence for relatives more distant than these. However, relatives close enough other precede – closer or cousins first) – שו” ת בית יצחק יו”ד ח”ב סוף סי’ פ”ו testify to disqualified be to poor people. Wife’s Relatives. Some say that a wife’s relative have the same status as local poor ( ב”סק א”רנ ת”פתח ;( others argue that ;(שו”ת חת”ס חו”מ סי’ קי” ב , שו”ת אמרי אש יו”ד סי’ צ”ז ) poor local and relatives his between is status his yet others hold they have the same status as his relatives ( א”א ה”תרצ’ סי בוטשאטש) Neighbors 25. After relatives come neighbors ( שם א”רמ ,( with priority given to neighbors in closer proximity ( ביאור) הגר”א שם סק”ד Local Poor People 26. Local poor precede the poor from other cities ( שם ע”שו .( Both the giver and the pauper are considered they If (. רמ”א סי’ רנ”ו ס”ה בשם י”א, מ”ב סי’ תכ” ט סק”ה) ;there living of days 30 after city a of part be to are planning on settling there, they are immediately considered members of that city ( שם ע”ש