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9 ‎[1] Any city in which there is a Jewish community is obligated to raise up collectors of *tzedakah*, people who are well-known and trustworthy, to go door-to-door among the people from Sabbath eve to Sabbath eve and to take from each and every one what is appropriate for them to give. [The amount] should be a set and clear matter for each person. They also distribute the money from Sabbath eve to Sabbath eve and give to each and every poor person enough food to last them for seven days. This method is called the *kupah* [the "coffer" for the charity fund]. ‎[2] So also [the community] must enlist collectors to take [donations] on a day-to-day basis, from each and every yard, a main dish, other types of food, fruit, or money for anyone who would donate something at that time, and they distribute this collection in the evening among the poor and give to each poor person from it a day's sustenance. This method is called the *tamchui* [the "charity plate"]. ‎[3] Never have we seen or heard of a Jewish community that does not have a *kupah*, but as for a *tamchui*, there are places whose custom it is to have it and places that do not. The widespread custom today is that the collectors of the *kupah* make their rounds each day [to collect the *tzedakah*], and they distribute it on each Sabbath eve. ‎[4] On fast days, they must still distribute food for the poor. Any fast where the community eats [at the end after sundown], goes to sleep, and did not distribute *tzedakah* to the poor is like [a community] that sheds blood. About them it is written in the prophetic books, (Isaiah 1:21) *Where righteousness [tzedek] dwelt, but now murderers.* To what does this refer? When they have not given them a main dish and fruit with which to eat it, such as dates or grapes. But if the money or the wheat was delayed [and they did not give them food because of a mitigating circumstance], then they are not like murderers. ‎[5] The *kupah* may only be collected by two individuals, for there is no authority to an institution in the community in financial matters except if there are at least two people [to run it], but it is permissible to entrust one person with the money from the *kupah*. It may only be distributed by three individuals, because it is as if they are making judicial decisions about money [and a Jewish court is comprised of three individuals], for they give to each one enough to fill this lack for the Sabbath [and this is a matter of judgment]. And the *tamchui* is collected by three, for this is not a clearly defined matter [and also requires judicial decisions], and it is distributed by three. ‎[6] The *tamchui* is collected each day, and the *kupah* [is collected] each Sabbath eve. The *tamchui* is given to the poor everywhere, and the *kupah* is given to [the poor of] that city alone. ‎[7] The citizens of the city are permitted to interchange the *kupah* and the *tamchui* one with the other, and they may exchange them according to the desires fitting the needs of the community, even though they did not stipulate such at the time it was collected. If there is someone in the province who is especially wise, everything should be collected according to his understanding, and he should distribute it as he sees best. This person is permitted to exchange them [the *kupah* and the *tamchui*] as he sees fit according to the needs of the community. ‎[8] Collectors of *tzedakah* are not permitted to spread out far from each other [while collecting] in the market [so as to avoid suspicion], except when one goes through a gate while the other goes into a store so they may make a collection. ‎[9] If a *tzedakah* collector finds money in the market, he may not put it in his pocket [so it looks like he is stealing], but rather he puts it in the money bag of the *tzedakah*, and when he gets home he may take it out. ‎[10] If a *tzedakah* collector engages in business with another in the market [while he is collecting *tzedakah*] and he [the other person] pays him [the collector in front of others], he may not place [the money] in his pocket, but rather he puts it in the money bag of *tzedakah*, and when he gets home he may take it out. He may also not count the money from the *kupah* two by two but rather one coin at a time so that there is no suspicion, as it is said, (Num. 32:22) *You shall be clear before the LORD and before Israel*. ‎[11] If the collectors of *tzedakah* do not have poor people [at that moment] to whom to distribute, they may combine the money into *dinarim*, for the sake of others but not for themselves. The collectors of the *tamchui* who do not have poor people to whom to distribute may sell [donated gifts] for the sake of others but not for their own sake. People should not investigate the collectors of *tzedakah*, the treasurer of the Temple, [that is, demand a list of who gave what,] as it is said, (II Kings 22:7) *However, no check is to be kept on them for the silver that is delivered to them, for they deal honestly.* ‎[12] If someone stays in a province for thirty days, they may coerce him to give *tzedakah* for the *kupah* for the citizens of that province. If he stays for three months, they may coerce him to give to the *tamchui*. If he stays for six months, they may coerce him to give *tzedakah* for clothing, so they may clothe the poor of that city. If he stays for nine months, they may coerce him to give *tzedakah* for burial, so they may bury the poor and take care of all of the needs for burial. ‎[13] One who has enough food for two meals is forbidden to take from the *tamchui*. If one has food for fourteen meals, he may not take from the *kupah*. If he had 200 *zuz* and does not engage in business with them, or if he had fifty *zuz* and does engage in business with them, then he may not take *leket*, *shikhecha*, *péah*, and *ma'esar ani*. If he had 199 *dinar*, even if a thousand people gave him at once, he is permitted to take [everything]. If he had money in his possession but he has a debt or this is collateral for the prenuptial agreement [*ketubah*] for his wife, then he is permitted to take [*tzedakah*]. ‎[14] If a poor person is in need who owns a yard and household utensils, even if they are made of silver or gold, they may not require him to sell his home or his utensils, but rather he is permitted to take [*tzedakah*], and it is a *mitzvah* to give to him. In what situation does this apply? To utensils for eating, drinking, doing laundry, for bedding, and similar such things. But if the utensils of silver and gold are things such as a trowel or a pestle or something similar, he must sell them and he gets [utensils] of lesser value. When does this apply [that they force him to sell extraneous tools]? Before he has collected [*tzedakah*] from the people. But even after he has collected *tzedakah*, they still make him sell his utensils and take others of lesser value, and then afterwards he may take [*tzedakah* again]. ‎[15] If a owner of a home was traveling to a city and lost his money while on the way and now has nothing to eat, then he is permitted to take *leket*, *shikhecha*, *péah*, *ma'esar ani*, and to benefit from *tzedakah*. And when he arrives at his home, he does not need to pay [the money back], for he was a poor person at that time. To what is this similar? To a poor person who becomes rich and does not need to pay [back all the money that sustained him while he was poor]. ‎[16] If one owns houses, fields, or vineyards, and if he sold them during the rainy season, it would be at a loss, whereas if he waited until the dry season, he could sell them for their worth, in such a case, they may not require him to sell [when he would lose money], but rather they feed him from *ma'esar ani* up until half their [his property's] worth, and they do not pressure him to sell at a time when it would be disadvantageous to sell. ‎[17] If the rest of the people are buying at high prices, and he finds that no one will buy from him except at a cheap price because he is under pressure and in dire straits, they may not require him to sell [at that time]. Rather, he eats from *ma'esar ani* and continues until he can sell for their value, as everyone knows so he is not under pressure to sell [at a loss]. ‎[18] If they collected money for a certain poor person in order to fill his lack, and they accumulated a surplus [by collecting more than what he was lacking], the surplus belongs to him. And so if they collected a surplus for poor people in general, [the surplus is set aside] for the poor [in the future]. And so a surplus for captives [is set aside for future] captives, and so for a specific captive, [the surplus goes to] that specific captive. And so a surplus for taking care of the dead in general [is set aside for the future needs of] taking care of the dead, and so if there is a surplus [that they collected] for a specific dead person, it goes to his heirs. ‎[19] A poor person who has given a *perutah* to the *tamchui* or to the *kupah*, they accept it from him. If he did not give [anything], they do not require him to give. If they gave him new clothes, and he returned the worn garments, they accept them from him. And if he did not donate [to the *kupah*], they do not require him to give.
Version: Gifts for the Poor, Trans. by Joseph B. Meszler, Williamsburg, Virginia, 2003
Source: http://rabbimeszler.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Gifts_for_the_Poor.27083736.pdf
License: CC-BY