Mysticism and Spirituality

Rosh Hashanah: Giving Into the Divine Flow

In this article, we explore the power of giving with purpose, ways to optimize tzedakah, and the eternal and atoning power of charity.

The Hidden Orchard

25 Sep 2024 — 5 min read

So far in this series, we have explored the importance of ending well¹, and the power of using our intention t0 connect to the Creator².

Now, we are taking the time to look at the concept of Tzedakah (charity), and how this can be a powerful tool in shaping our future.

Where the Money Goes...

In various instances, the Bible encourages us not only to give freely and cheerfully but also to give beyond our comfort zone.

As if this was not difficult enough, we are also expected to consider the past, present, and future of our money³. This means we are to be mindful of where our money comes from⁴ and how it will be spent when we give.

Tzedakah and Justice

Often translated as 'charity', the word tzedakah is derived from the Hebrew root tzedek, meaning "justice" or "righteousness." This is an important hint.

Unlike the notion of charity as a voluntary act of generosity, tzedakah reflects a fundamental belief that wealth and resources are gifts from G_D to be shared with others.

In this, we get to play a part in the cosmic supply chain that originates with the Creator.

A helpful analogy:

If you take a cylinder of wood, you can drill all the way through and make it into a conduit. If you only drill most of the way through, it becomes a vessel…

When that which was designed to be a pipeline chooses instead to be a vessel, an end-user, it suffers along with those whose nourishment was dependent upon it.”
- Rabbi Baruch Gartner "Living Aligned," page 68-69

It is worth restating that giving makes us an active part of the Divine flow - letting what has been given to us flow through to others.

Giving Into the Divine Flow

The Bible illustrates the idea that, generally, nothing is complete out of the box. We live in a world of strategic imperfection that requires our participation to rectify and elevate⁵.

If the Creator wanted to fix everything, He could - but we would lose the chance to participate and grow.

In a similar way, we are created with imperfections and character traits that need improvement, and we are also given resources to share.

But, we will find that requires intention and thought. Why? Because giving can be difficult and even counter-intuitive to the natural tendency to save and store resources for our own well-being.

This is probably why the Sages say⁶ that tzedakah is tantamount to all of the commandments together.

The Kabbalah of Giving

On a Kabbalistic level, giving tzedakah reflects the completion of the circuit of the Sefirot⁷. Having set our intentions prior, we now manifest these spiritual building blocks into the physical world through the act of handing over resources.

Thus, our actions bring a significant degree of mercy and kindness into the world.

Without some kind of action in the lower world - this world - we risk leaving our spiritual work unfulfilled, ungrounded, and incomplete.

The proper mediation should be not centered on the rewards we hope to gain from our action, but instead, on gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the process - serving as a pipeline and not a vessel.

When done with proper intention and thoughtfulness, tzedakah serves as a powerful form of atonement and unification with the Creator!

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It is important to note that acts of kindness are often included in the mitzvah of Tzedakah, known as Gemilut chasadim.

Giving For the Future

Now that we understand how giving allows us to take part in the Divine flow, a final consideration is to do our due diligence to ensure we are giving to causes that are truly doing good.

We should be careful to avoid organizations and causes that misrepresent themselves to cash in on well-intended and generous people. Ultimately, we want to avoid inadvertently supporting causes that violate our values.

For this, it is often a good idea to dedicate to Torah learning. Here, we can be mostly assured the money will go to advance the learning of the Bible - especially in a time when the world needs it most.

Storing Treasures in Heaven

I'd like to share a story that I believe captures these ideas.

Years ago, I lived in a small(ish) town in Maryland when the community was rocked by an unexpected tragedy. One morning, while responding to a call about a man who had exhibited bizarre behavior, two local Deputies were senselessly murdered.

During the funeral services, many people in the community came forward to share how these officers had touched their lives.

I recall a few homeless people in attendance, each sharing how one of the officers had frequently spent a few minutes of their day talking with them, even bringing them coffee and something to eat.

What struck me is that no one, not even the family of the officer knew of these interactions.

This demonstrated a powerful principle that reverberates through eternity that we cannot take the money with us when we leave this life, but the acts of charity and acts of kindness - and the fruit from those investments - will live on long after.

This is probably what Jesus meant by 'storing up treasure in heaven."

In closing, below are a few resources I want to share this year as organizations to consider supporting if you are looking for ideas.

When choosing to give, take a moment and reflect on the intention of your giving. Maybe even pray that the resources find their destination.

Looking For Ideas to Donate?

One Family Together - The OneFamily centers serve as ‘safe spaces’ for Israeli victims and their families, ensuring that they always have a place to go where they can feel at home.
Sefaria.org - Sefaria is home to 3,000 years of Jewish texts. A nonprofit organization offering free access to texts, translations, and commentaries so that everyone can participate in the ongoing process of studying, interpreting, and creating Torah
Local Animal Shelter Non-Profit - Find a local animal shelter, maybe privately owned, that could use extra resources for the animals they house and care for.