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When the ani you’re trying to give it to doesn’t want to accept it
Is a penny worth two cents if you offer a penny to a pauper and he declines it?
when youre not american
I don’t get it.
in most third world countries
If chicken quarters were on sale for 50 cents each, each quarter would be worth 50 cents.
Though this would never really happen…
So it’s like you get 25 cents credit in the mitzvah department, but you still have 25 cents to spend?
When it’s a quarter of a $2 bill (otherwise known as half a dollar).
Depending on currency conversation A quarter of a US Dollar could be worth 50 Canadian Cents
If I give 25 cents to tzedakah, the mitzvah is only worth 25 cents? So there’s no actual reward for giving tzedakah?
When you buy a sharpener with it.
Then you can sharpen pencils for a living.
Mitzvahs are priceless.
I didn’t mean to twist your words. I apologize. I just wanted to keep this thread at the top of the page because it’s so clever.
When someone gives matching funds…either for charity or your 401k
I always figured that ‘Bump’ was for threads that haven’t gotten any comments for a few days or longer and had completely fallen off of the ‘Latest Discussions’ board.
Hey, Coffee Addict: Bump! This actually happened to me this very evening!
Someone came collecting tonight and we had a large bill and a few coins set aside. (I feel bad asking someone for change when giving tzedaka – like I come out with a 10 dollar bill and get their hopes up, but then I ask for 8 or 9 dollars back and they’re disappointed.) If I would have had a one dollar bill then I would have given him that. Next best thing was to offer him a quarter. I sent Little Prince Plony to the door to be the shaliach shel mitzvah, but the man who was collecting just walked away without it.
Sighhh… I feel terrible. Do you guys think I should have asked him for change from the bill?
Mrs. Plony – my reaction would have been, “I guess he doesn’t need the money as badly as I do. I would have been happy to get a quarter.”
Agree with LuL.
That being said, many don’t understand the Gemorah
??? ????? ??? ???? (?????? ??) ????? ???? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????
If they did, they would understand that the quarter after 4 times becomes a dollar, and then ten, etc.
Unfortunately, what many Aniyim need is financial literacy/budgeting skills, not financial support. Boruch Hashem there are organizations that are realizing this and conditioning help on attending sessions to teach self-support.
P.S. Lack of financial literacy affects everyone, from people who have nothing coming in to others who have millions coming in.
Thank you for the moral support, Lul. I suppose the man last night figured that if all we could give was 25 cents, then we needed it more than him. But it was money that had been set aside specifically for charity, so I can’t use it in good conscience myself.
For the record I broke the big bill today, so now we have ones to distribute.
Mrs. Plony – my reaction would have been, “I guess he doesn’t need the money as badly as I do. I would have been happy to get a quarter.”
and
I suppose the man last night figured that if all we could give was 25 cents, then we needed it more than him.
Nah. He was making the point that giving a quarter is not really helpful when someone needs $40,000 for medical or chasunah expenses.
Rudely, but that’s his point.
He’s still wrong for turning it down and not taking it and saying “thank you”, but that’s where the frustration comes from, I imagine.
MRS PLONY: I would have probably done the same thing, of not bringing him a bigger bill asking to make change.
Have you tried giving someone a bracha?
He comes to the door. You can apologize for not having a dollar bill, ask if he wants a quarter (up to him to say yes or no), and give him a bracha.
(Maybe offer something to eat, like a muffin or cookie, or bottle of water… if you can, and if not move on to the bracha).
And give him a bracha. A good bracha. Ask the man what he needs. And Ask Hashem to give to him generously and let him receive it. Let him say, “Amen.”
Allow him to feel renewed and glad that he knocked on your door.
—Your bracha is powerful.—-
He’s still wrong for turning it down and not taking it and saying “thank you”, but that’s where the frustration comes from, I imagine.
Nebuch. And yes, it would not be a bad idea for someone who is really poor to collect bottles. I have heard of families who have saved some significant money in this manner, enough to pay for what other people are “collecting” (such as summer camp).
For the record, I am speaking from experience. I know it is hard not to give when you want to and want to help. Remember that you have more than just money. Remember that even money comes from blessings.
When I was in Jerusalem, I gave the guy selling red strings a bracha.
I asked Hashem to give him parnassah. Then I asked Hashem to give him nachas. Then he told me that he needed a kallah, so I asked Hashem to give him a kallah.
He said “Amen.” and “Amen.” and “Amen.”
That moment of eye contact and blessings, that is what I had to give that day.
DY – either way, the point is that apparently I needed the quarter more than him because I was happy to get a quarter back – or would have been if it had happened to me.
I actually had a simliar maaseh at the Kosel years ago with agurot (I don’t remember how much, and it would have been worth much more back then anyhow). In that case, she actually threw it back at me which was pretty upsetting. So I told myself what I told Mrs. Plony.
I just reread Mrs. Plony’s post and realized that her case was different than mine. It doesn’t sound like the guy was necessarily being rude – maybe he really felt that she needs the money more than him if she is only giving a quarter.
I actually didn’t see the collector’s reaction. I sent LPP to give him the money because most of the time men who are collecting in my neighborhood won’t take money directly from a woman’s hand. By the same token, I’m afraid that if I gave him a bracha per lightbrite’s suggestion he might get offended that I would converse with him. But your idea of asking if he would take a quarter – that way he doesn’t waste time waiting by my door if 25 cents isn’t worth his while.
I used to say to every collector, no matter how much I gave, “I wish I could give more, and I wish you didn’t have to go collecting.” But someone convinced me to stop.
Awww. Sorry I didn’t think of the issue that it may be inappropriate to have a woman talk to him.
I think it was nice of you to express your desires, which is a calling to HKBH in a way too. Though I am guessing that you stopped for a good reason, so thank you for explaining where you are coming from here.
Well… I want to give you a bracha MRS PLONY to always have sweet parnassah that allows you to give to your family generously and yourself and to your community and outward. I know that your family is #1 when it comes to chesed. So it shows a lot that you are prioritizing their needs, which is not easy when someone comes in and there is pressure to give.
May you always have good health, nachas, and every blessing and may you always enjoy your blessings.
AMEN! TEN L’MAR! Thank you so much, lb. I’m going into Shabbos in a great mood now!
I think you meant “v’chen l’mar.” Either way, “mar” refers to a man.
Oh. Thanks, Randomex. I never saw it in print, just heard it said, so I didn’t know.
Anyway, closure time: Tonight two separate men came collecting. Most of the tzedaka money has been distributed and we’re back to coins. In each case I apologetically said, “I don’t have much; can I give you a quarter?” One collector said “Sure” and I sent Little Prince Plony to hand it to him. The second one said “No, it’s okay” and I told him “Zei Gebentsched.”
Thank you for reading.
Awww MRS PLONY!!!! Yays. It sounded like that went well 🙂
That was a good approach where you were coming from a thoughtful place and it sounds like you were secure in yourself too.
Great example of modeling your tzadikisness for Little Prince Plony 🙂
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