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Tzedakah: Righteous Giving

Tzedakah, which means “righteous giving,” goes far beyond the traditional concept of charity and charitable giving. Find out how much you know about this concept in Judaism by taking our quiz.

Question 1 of :

Question 1 While the Hebrew word tzedakah is commonly defined as “charity,” it comes from the word for _____.

In Hebrew, the word tzedek means justice. This teaches us that giving is not an act of mercy; it’s an act of righteousness.

Spare change Welfare Justice Need

Question 2 So if tzedek means “justice,” then what does tzedakah mean?

Tzedakah is actually two words put together — tzedek, meaning “justice,” and kah, which is a name for God.

Justice of money Justice of good Justice of the law Justice of God

Question 3 Which of these things belong to God?

As it says in Haggai 2:8, “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” Thus, everything we own is actually a gift from God, be it our earthly wealth, our talents, the circumstances that allowed us to acquire these gifts, and even our very lives.

Our wealth Our talents Our life All of the above

Question 4 The Jewish concept of tikkun olam means:

“Tikkun olam” means “fixing the world.” Of course, each of those other concepts are very important aspects of making our world a better place in which to live.

Fixing the world Feeding the hungry Clothing the naked Sheltering the homeless

Question 5 Of the approximately seven billion people living on earth today, how many live in extreme poverty and a state of starvation?

According to the Food Aid Foundation, nearly one billion people do not have enough food to lead a healthy, active life. That’s about one in nine people on earth. At the same time, studies reveal that the world is producing enough food to feed 10 billion people.

Three billion One billion One million Ten thousand

Question 6 What percentage does the word “tithe” mean?

By tithing our earnings, we give a tenth of what we have. If every person on earth tithed their earnings, there would be enough money for everybody.

One-fourth One-fifth One-seventh One-tenth

Question 7 We’ve learned some Hebrew words already, but let’s see if you know the meaning of one more. What does the word natan mean?

The Hebrew word natan means “to give.” It’s interesting to note that this word is a palindrome, meaning it reads the same forward and backward. This teaches us that giving is a two-way street — when we give, we also receive, as Genesis 12:3 promises us: “I will bless those who bless you.”

To lead To give Nature Nurture

Question 8 In the Jewish tradition, charity begins at home with a tzedakah ____.

Many Jewish homes feature a tzedakah box, a charity box often constructed and decorated by the family’s children and used to collect gifts for those less fortunate.

Stocking Corner Box Book

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