Halacha
הלכה א
כָּל עִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּבִין לְהַעֲמִיד מֵהֶם גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה אֲנָשִׁים יְדוּעִים וְנֶאֱמָנִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַחְזִירִין עַל הָעָם מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְלוֹקְחִין מִכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַה שֶּׁהוּא רָאוּי לִתֵּן וְדָבָר הַקָּצוּב עָלָיו. וְהֵן מְחַלְּקִין הַמָּעוֹת מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְנוֹתְנִין לְכָל עָנִי וְעָנִי מְזוֹנוֹת הַמַּסְפִּיקִין לְשִׁבְעָה יָמִים. וְזוֹ הִיא הַנִּקְרֵאת קֻפָּה:
כסף משנה
1.
In every city where Jews live, they are obligated to appoint faithful,1See Chapter 10, the conclusion of Halachah 8. men of renown as trustees of a charitable fund. They should circulate among the people from Friday to Friday and take from each person what is appropriate for him to give and the assessment made upon him. They then allocate the money from Friday to Friday, giving each poor person sufficient food for seven days. This is called the kupah.2The term literally means "container" and refers to the charity box in which donations were placed and by extension, to the fund financed by those collections.הלכה ב
וְכֵן מַעֲמִידִין גַּבָּאִין שֶׁלּוֹקְחִין בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם מִכָּל חָצֵר וְחָצֵר פַּת וּמִינֵי מַאֲכָל אוֹ פֵּרוֹת אוֹ מָעוֹת מִמִּי שֶׁמִּתְנַדֵּב לְפִי שָׁעָה. וּמְחַלְּקִין אֶת הַגָּבוּי לָעֶרֶב בֵּין הָעֲנִיִּים וְנוֹתְנִין לְכָל עָנִי מִמֶּנּוּ פַּרְנָסַת יוֹמוֹ. וְזֶהוּ הַנִּקְרָא תַּמְחוּי:
כסף משנה
2.
Similarly, we appoint trustees who take bread, different types of food, fruit, or money from every courtyard from those who make a spontaneous donation and divide what was collected among the poor in the evening, giving each poor person sustenance for that day. This is called the tamchui.3In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keilim 13:3), the Rambam defines this term as a pot with compartments.הלכה ג
מֵעוֹלָם לֹא רָאִינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּקָהָל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה. אֲבָל תַּמְחוּי יֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בּוֹ וְיֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁלֹּא נָהֲגוּ בּוֹ. וְהַמִּנְהָג הַפָּשׁוּט הַיּוֹם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ גַּבָּאֵי הַקֻּפָּה מַחְזִירִין בְּכָל יוֹם וּמְחַלְּקִין מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת:
כסף משנה
3.
We have never seen nor heard of a Jewish community that does not have a kupah for charity. A tamchui, by contrast, exists in some communities, but not in others. The common practice at present is that the trustees of the kupah circulate [among the community and collect] every day and divide [the proceeds] every Friday.4So that the poor will have their Sabbath needs provided for.הלכה ד
בְּתַעֲנִיּוֹת מְחַלְּקִים מְזוֹנוֹת לָעֲנִיִּים. וְכָל תַּעֲנִית שֶׁאָכְלוּ הָעָם וְלָנוּ וְלֹא חִלְּקוּ צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ כְּשׁוֹפְכֵי דָּמִים וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר בַּקַּבָּלָה (ישעיה א כא) "צֶדֶק יָלִין בָּהּ וְעַתָּה מְרַצְּחִים". בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּשֶׁלֹּא נָתְנוּ לָהֶן הַפַּת וְהַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁאוֹכְלִים בָּהֶם הַפַּת כְּגוֹן תְּמָרִים וַעֲנָבִים. אֲבָל אִם אֵחֲרוּ הַמָּעוֹת אוֹ הַחִטִּים אֵינָן כְּשׁוֹפְכֵי דָּמִים:
כסף משנה
4.
On fast days, we distribute food to the poor. Whenever there is a fast day on which the people eat and went to bed without distributing charity to the poor, they are considered as murderers.5On fast days, it was customary to distribute food to the poor after the evening service at the conclusion of the fast. Since the poor would look forward to this meal and rely on it to break their fast. If it was not provided to them, they would go to bed without food (Rashi, Sanhedrin 35a). Concerning them, the Oral Tradition says [Isaiah 1:21]:6We have translated the verse according to the meaning with which it is employed by the Rambam. In its literal context, it would be translated differently. "Charity is held overnight and now [you are] murderers."When does this apply? When they did not give them bread and fruit which is [usually] eaten together with bread, e.g., dates and grapes. If, however, they delayed the delivery of money or wheat, they are not considered as murderers.7Because regardless, this does not provide the poor with readily available food and they were not depending on it for their meal (Rashi, loc. cit.).
הלכה ה
הַקֻּפָּה אֵינָהּ נִגְבֵּית אֶלָּא בִּשְׁנַיִם שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂים שְׂרָרָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר בְּמָמוֹן פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם. וּמֻתָּר לְהַאֲמִין לְאֶחָד הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁל קֻפָּה. וְאֵינָהּ נֶחְלֶקֶת אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא כְּדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת. שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים לְכָל אֶחָד דֵּי מַחֲסוֹרוֹ לְשַׁבָּת. והַתַּמְחוּי נִגְבֶּה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָּבָר קָצוּב. וּמִתְחַלֵּק בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה:
כסף משנה
5.
[Money for] the kupah should be collected only by two people together,8Three individuals are not necessary for we are speaking about a specific sum levied upon each person and there is no aspect of judgment involved (Tosafot, Sanhedrin 35a). for no less than two communal trustees should ever be appointed over the financial interests of the community. It is permitted to entrust the money of the kupah to one person, but [the funds] should not be distributed by less than three trustees, because [the allocation] is comparable to a judgment concerning financial matters, since each person is given his needs for that week. [Donations for] the tamchui should be collected by three - because it does not involve a fixed amount9Since it does not involve a fixed amount, it is comparable to a judgment and hence, requires three individuals (the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah, as quoted by the Radbaz). - and it is distributed by three.הלכה ו
הַתַּמְחוּי נִגְבֶּה בְּכָל יוֹם. וְהַקֻּפָּה מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת. וְהַתַּמְחוּי לַעֲנִיֵּי עוֹלָם. וְהַקֻּפָּה לַעֲנִיֵּי אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר בִּלְבַד:
כסף משנה
6.
[Donations for] the tamchui are collected every day. [Those for] the kupah are collected from Friday until Friday. [The gifts from] the tamchui are given [also]10This bracketed addition is based on the gloss of the Radbaz who emphasizes that the kupah was intended to provide the local poor people with their essential needs, while the tamchui was intended as a supplement for them from which others were also allowed to take. From other authorities, however, it appears that the intent is that only poor people from other places are allowed to benefit from the tamchui. to poor people at large.11I.e., including poor people from other places. [Those from] the kupah are given only to the poor of that city.הלכה ז
רַשָּׁאִין בְּנֵי הָעִיר לַעֲשׂוֹת קֻפָּה תַּמְחוּי. וְתַמְחוּי קֻפָּה. וּלְשַׁנּוֹתָן לְכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצוּ מִצָּרְכֵי צִבּוּר. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִתְנוּ כֵּן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁגָּבוּ. וְאִם הָיָה בַּמְּדִינָה חָכָם גָּדוֹל שֶׁהַכּל גּוֹבִין עַל דַּעְתּוֹ וְהוּא יְחַלֵּק לָעֲנִיִּים כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיִּרְאֶה. הֲרֵי זֶה רַשַּׁאי לְשַׁנּוֹתָן לְכָל מַה שֶּׁיֵּרָאֶה לוֹ מִצָּרְכֵי צִבּוּר:
כסף משנה
7.
The inhabitants of a city have permission to give [the donations given to] the kupah to the tamchui and [those given for] the tamchui to the kupah. Similarly, they may exchange [these donations] for any communal purpose that they desire even though a stipulation to that effect was not made when they were collected.12If, however, a stipulation was made that the funds donated be used for a specific charitable purpose, they may be used only for that purpose. If there is a great sage in that city dependent on whose judgment all collections are made13The Rama (Yoreh De'ah 256:4) states that this same law applies with regard to a charity collector appointed by the community. and he is the one who allocates the funds to the poor according to his assessment, he is permitted to use [these funds] for any communal purpose he sees fit.הלכה ח
גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה אֵין רַשָּׁאִין לִפְרשׁ זֶה מִזֶּה בַּשּׁוּק. אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה פּוֹרֵשׁ לַשַּׁעַר וְזֶה פּוֹרֵשׁ לַחֲנוּת וְגוֹבִין:
כסף משנה
8.
Trustees of a charitable fund are not permitted to depart from each other in the marketplace14In this way, no one will have the impression that the trustee misappropriated the money (Rashi, Bava Batra 9b). [except for a brief time], e.g., one goes to the gate to collect and the other to a shop.15I.e., in a manner in which each remains in the other's sight (Bava Batra, loc. cit.).הלכה ט
מָצָא הַגַּבַּאי מָעוֹת בַּשּׁוּק לֹא יִתְּנֵם לְתוֹךְ כִּיסוֹ אֶלָּא לְתוֹךְ אַרְנְקִי שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וּכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְבֵיתוֹ יִטְלֵם:
כסף משנה
9.
If a charity trustee finds money in the marketplace,16Which as the discoverer he is entitled to keep for himself. he should not put it into his own pocket,17Lest people say that he is taking money from the charitable fund (Rashi, loc. cit.). but instead into the wallet of the charitable fund. When he comes home, he should take it [for himself].הלכה י
הָיָה הַגַּבַּאי נוֹשֶׁה בַּחֲבֵרוֹ מָנֶה וּפְרָעוֹ בַּשּׁוּק לֹא יִתְּנֵם לְתוֹךְ כִּיסוֹ אֶלָּא לְתוֹךְ אַרְנְקִי שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וּכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְבֵיתוֹ יִטְלֵם. וְלֹא יִמְנֶה מָעוֹת הַקֻּפָּה שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם אֶלָּא אֶחָד אֶחָד מִפְּנֵי הַחֲשָׁד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לב כב) "וִהְיִיתֶם נְקִיִּים מֵה' וּמִיִּשְׂרָאֵל":
כסף משנה
10.
If a charity trustee is owed money by a colleague and [the latter] pays him in the marketplace, he should not put [this money] in his pocket, but instead into the wallet of the charitable fund.18Lest people say that he is taking money from the charitable fund (Rashi, loc. cit.). When he comes home, he should take it [for himself].He should not count out the money of the charitable fund in pairs, but rather one coin at a time, lest suspicions be aroused,19I.e., people might say that he is counting pairs and then taking one of each pair for himself (ibid.). as [implied by Numbers 32:22]: "And you shall be guiltless in the eyes of God and Israel."20Implied is that not only should one not transgress, but that there would not be the slightest suspicion of transgression.
הלכה יא
גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם עֲנִיִּים לְחַלֵּק מְצָרְפִין הַמָּעוֹת דִּינָרִין לַאֲחֵרִים אֲבָל לֹא לְעַצְמָן. גַּבָּאֵי תַּמְחוּי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם עֲנִיִּים לְחַלֵּק מוֹכְרִים לַאֲחֵרִים וְאֵין מוֹכְרִים לְעַצְמָם. וְאֵין מְחַשְּׁבִים בִּצְדָקָה עִם גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה. וְלֹא בַּהֶקְדֵּשׁ עִם הַגִּזְבָּרִין. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב כב ז) "אַךְ לֹא יֵחָשֵׁב אִתָּם הַכֶּסֶף הַנִּתָּן עַל יָדָם כִּי בֶּאֱמוּנָה הֵם עוֹשִׂים":
כסף משנה
11.
When the trustee of a charitable fund does not have poor people to whom to distribute the money, he may exchange the coins for dinarim.21Coins of greater worth. Another person, however, [should carry out the transaction], not he himself.22Lest people think that he is profiting by the transaction.When the trustee of a tamchui does not have poor people to whom to distribute [the food he collected], he should sell it to others,23And use the proceeds for the tamchui at a later date. but not to himself.24Lest people think that he is profiting by the transaction.
We do not enter into a reckoning with the trustee of a charitable fund concerning the charity he collected25I.e., we do not ask them to make a precise reckoning of the income and expenses of the charitable fund. or with the treasures of the Temple regarding funds consecrated to them, as stated [in II Kings 22:7]: "No reckoning shall be made with them for the money entrusted to them because they are acting in good faith."26This verse describes the practice conducted by King Josiah with regard to the money collected from the people for the renovation of the Temple. It, however, is understood as applying beyond immediate context and applying with regard to all those who oversee charitable funds.
The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 257:2) quotes the Rambam's ruling. The Rama adds that, in the spirit of the verse from Numbers cited above, it is desirable for a trustee to give an account. Moreover, he continues, the above applies only with regard to those trustees who have an honorable reputation and who were appointed to their position by the community. If a trustee does not have such a reputation or he seized his position by force, he is required to make an accounting.
הלכה יב
מִי שֶׁיָּשַׁב בַּמְּדִינָה שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן צְדָקָה לַקֻּפָּה עִם בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה. יָשַׁב שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן הַתַּמְחוּי. יָשַׁב שָׁם שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן צְדָקָה בִּכְסוּת שֶׁמְּכַסִּים בָּהּ עֲנִיֵּי הָעִיר. יָשַׁב שָׁם תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן צְדָקָה לִקְבוּרָה שֶׁקּוֹבְרִין בָּהּ אֶת הָעֲנִיִּים וְעוֹשִׂין לָהֶם כָּל צָרְכֵי קְבוּרָה:
כסף משנה
12.
When a person has lived in a city for 30 days, we compel him to give charity to the kupah together with the inhabitants of the city.27I.e., the kupah represents the most urgent needs of a community. Hence, as soon as a person has been there for a significant time, he is required to pay the levy for that fund. The longer he stays in the community, the more communal responsibility he is required to take. If he dwelled there for three months, we compel him to contribute to the tamchui.28The commentaries note that the standard version of Bava Batra 8b, the source for the Rambam's ruling, reverses the text and makes one responsible for the tamchui before the kupah. They explain, however, that there are versions of the text that support the Rambam's ruling. It is quoted by Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 256:5). If he dwelled there for six months, we compel him to contribute to the fund used to clothe the poor of the city. If he dwelled there for nine months, we compel him to contribute to the fund used for the burial of the poor of the city and the provision of all their burial needs.29The Radbaz and the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.) emphasizes that these guidelines apply when a person has not expressed his intentions to become part of the city he is visiting. If, however, a visitor decides to become a permanent resident in a city, he immediately becomes responsible for all charitable levies.הלכה יג
מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מְזוֹן שְׁתֵּי סְעֻדּוֹת אָסוּר לוֹ לִטּל מִן הַתַּמְחוּי. הָיוּ לוֹ מְזוֹן אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה סְעֻדּוֹת לֹא יִטּל מִן הַקֻּפָּה. הָיוּ לוֹ מָאתַיִם זוּז אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בָּהֶם [אוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים זוּז וְנוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בָּהֶם] הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִטּל לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעֲשֵׂר עָנִי. הָיוּ לוֹ מָאתַיִם חָסֵר דִּינָר אֲפִלּוּ אֶלֶף נוֹתְנִין לוֹ כְּאֶחָד הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לִקַּח. הָיוּ בְּיָדוֹ מָעוֹת וַהֲרֵי הֵן עָלָיו חוֹב אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ מְמֻשְׁכָּנִים לִכְתֻבַּת אִשְׁתּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לִקַּח:
כסף משנה
13.
When a person has enough food for two meals, it is forbidden for him to take from the tamchui.30I.e., since he has enough food for the day, he should not take from the fund whose purpose is to provide people with their food for the day [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Pe'ah 8:7)]. When he has enough food for fourteen meals, he should not take from the kupah.31I.e., since he has enough food for the week, he should not take from the fund whose purpose is to provide people with their food for the week (ibid.). If he has 200 zuz, even if he does not invest or do business with them - or 50 zuz that he invests32For 50 zuz which one invests and uses to earn income is more desirable than 200 that do not provide one with income. - he should not take shichachah, peah, or the tithe for the poor. If he has 200 zuz less a dinar, even though 1000 people give him at one time,33From charity, i.e., since he is deemed poor, he is allowed to take charity, even if doing so will lift him far above the poverty level. he is permitted to take [the above]. If he has money in hand, but he owes a debt or it is under lien to his wife for her ketubah, he is permitted to take.34For in these instances, it is as if the money he possesses is not his own.הלכה יד
עָנִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ וְיֵשׁ לוֹ חָצֵר וּכְלֵי בַּיִת אֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ לוֹ כְּלֵי כֶּסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְכֹּר אֶת בֵּיתוֹ וְאֶת כְּלֵי תַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ אֶלָּא מֻתָּר לִקַּח. וּמִצְוָה לִתֵּן לוֹ. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּכְלֵי אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה וּמַלְבּוּשׁ וּמַצָּעוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ כְּלֵי כֶּסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב כְּגוֹן מִגְרֶדֶת אוֹ עֵלִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן מוֹכְרָן וְלוֹקֵחַ פָּחוֹת מֵהֶן. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לִגְבּוֹת מִן הָעָם. אֲבָל אַחַר שֶׁגָּבָה הַצְּדָקָה מְחַיְּבִים אוֹתוֹ לִמְכֹּר כֵּלָיו וְלִקַּח אֲחֵרִים פְּחוּתִין מֵהֶם וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִטּל:
כסף משנה
14.
When a poor person is in need, but owns a courtyard and household utensils - even silver and golden utensils - we do not obligate him to sell his house and his personal possessions. Instead, he is permitted to accept [charity] and it is a mitzvah to give him.When does the above apply? With regard to eating utensils, drinking utensils, clothing, bedding, and the like.35I.e., functional utensils, used in his day-to-day life. Since he has become used to valuable utensils, he will not feel comfortable using lesser ones (Ketubot 68a). If, however, he owns a golden comb or pestle or the like, he should sell them and buy less valuable ones.36Since these utensils are used for simple purposes, there is no difficulty in using less valuable ones.
When does the above37The leniency of the first clause which allows the person to maintain possession of his property. apply? Before he has descended to the level where he takes charity from people at large.38I.e., he is given charity by individuals, but not by the community at large [Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 253:1)]. Once he collects charity [from the community], we obligate him to sell his utensils and purchase lesser ones and then accept charity.39Because it is improper that a person of some means should receive communal funds and, in this way, reduce the amount given to poor people who have no resources whatsoever (the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah, Pe'ah 8:8).
After quoting the Rambam's ruling, the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.:2) states: "There are opinions that maintain that the above measures applied only in their era. In the present time, by contrast, a person may accept [charity] until he has sufficient principle [to invest] so that he and his family can sustain themselves from the profits. These are words of reason."
הלכה טו
בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ לָעִיר וְתַמּוּ לוֹ הַמָּעוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְאֵין לוֹ עַתָּה מַה יֹּאכַל הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר לִקַּח לֶקֶט שִׁכְחָה וּפֵאָה וּמַעֲשַׂר עָנִי וְלֵהָנוֹת מִן הַצְּדָקָה. וְלִכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְבֵיתוֹ אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְשַׁלֵּם שֶׁהֲרֵי עָנִי הָיָה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. הָא לְמָה זֶה דּוֹמֶה לֶעָנִי שֶׁהֶעֱשִׁיר שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְשַׁלֵּם:
כסף משנה
15.
When a man of means is in the midst of a journey from city to city, he used up all his money on the journey, and he does not have anything to eat, it is permitted for him to take leket, shichachah, pe'ah, and the tithe for the poor and he may benefit from charity. When he returns to his home,40And has money at hand again. he is not obligated to pay, because he was poor at that time.41In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Pe'ah 5:4), the Rambam writes that it is pious behavior to repay the money one received from charity. To what can this be compared? To a poor person who became wealthy who is not obligated to pay back [the charity he received while poor].הלכה טז
מִי שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בָּתִּים שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים וְאִם מוֹכְרָן בִּימֵי הַגְּשָׁמִים מוֹכְרָן בְּזוֹל וְאִם הִנִּיחָן עַד יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה מוֹכְרָן בְּשׁוְֹיֵהֶן. אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְכֹּר אֶלָּא מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי עַד חֲצִי דְּמֵיהֶן וְלֹא יִדְחֹק עַצְמוֹ וְיִמְכֹּר שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַן מְכִירָה:
כסף משנה
16.
When a person possesses homes, fields, and vineyards42This refers to a home that he does not dwell in since, as stated in Halachah 14, we do not obligate him to sell his home. which were he to sell them in the winter, he would be forced to sell them cheaply,43For market conditions would dictate lower prices at that time, since the purchaser will not begin to benefit from the fields and vineyards until the spring (Rashi, Bava Kama 7a). but were he to leave them until the summer, he would be able to sell them at their worth, we do not obligate him to sell them [in the winter]. Instead, we enable him to partake of the tithe of the poor [until he partakes of] half the worth of his property44We do not give him more than that amount, for a person will never lose more than half the value of his property by selling it at an unsuitable time (Radbaz).The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 253:3) quotes the Rambam's ruling. The Tur and the Rama interpret the passage from Bava Kama differently. According to their perspective, we enable him to receive charity until he finds someone who is willing to purchase his property at half price. [so that] he will not be pressed to sell outside the [appropriate] time to sell.
הלכה יז
הָיוּ שְׁאָר הָאָדָם לוֹקְחִין בְּיֹקֶר וְהוּא אֵינוֹ מוֹצֵא שֶׁיִּקַּח מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלָּא בְּזוֹל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא דָּחוּק וְטָרוּד אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְכֹּר. אֶלָּא אוֹכֵל מַעֲשַׂר עָנִי וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד שֶׁיִּמְכֹּר בְּשָׁוֶה וְיֵדְעוּ הַכּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָּחוּק לִמְכֹּר:
כסף משנה
17.
If people at large were purchasing property at high prices,45If, however, property prices at large are depressed, we do not allow one to gain time by benefiting from charity (Siftei Cohen 253:7). but he could only find people to purchase from him cheaply, because he is pressed for funds and preoccupied,46I.e., since people at large are aware of his plight, they would only offer him low prices in an attempt to pressure him to sell. we do not require him to sell [at a low price]. Instead, he is allowed to continue to partake of the tithe for the poor47And thus he will not be in immediate need of funds. until he can sell his property at its worth and everyone will know that he is not under pressure to sell.הלכה יח
עָנִי שֶׁגָּבוּ לוֹ כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁלִים מַחֲסוֹרוֹ וְהוֹתִירוּ עַל מַה שֶּׁהוּא צָרִיךְ הֲרֵי הַמּוֹתָר שֶׁלּוֹ. וּמוֹתַר עֲנִיִּים לָעֲנִיִּים. וּמוֹתַר שְׁבוּיִים לַשְּׁבוּיִים. מוֹתַר שָׁבוּי לְאוֹתוֹ שָׁבוּי. מוֹתַר מֵתִים לַמֵּתִים. מוֹתַר הַמֵּת לְיוֹרְשָׁיו:
כסף משנה
18.
When funds were collected for a poor person to satisfy his lack and [the collection] exceeded his needs, the additional funds belong to him. Extra funds [donated for] the poor should be given to the poor. Extra funds [donated for the redemption of] captives should be used for that purpose.48I.e., to redeem other captives in the future. Extra funds [donated for the redemption of] one individual captive should be given to that captive.49To use for the rehabilitation of his personal situation. Extra funds [donated for the burial of] the deceased should be used for that purpose.50I.e., to bury other deceased individuals in the future. Extra funds [donated for the burial of] an individual deceased person should be given to his heirs.51The intent is not that the deceased acquired the money and his heirs inherited it from him, for he never formally acquired it. Instead, since there was a certain measure of embarrassment involved for the deceased in having the money raised, he is willing to grant the financial benefit for that embarrassment to his heirs (Sanhedrin 48a).After quoting these laws, the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 253:6) states: "If the communal officers see that there is an immediate need and they wish to change [the objective to which charity is given], they have that authority."
הלכה יט
עָנִי שֶׁנָּתַן פְּרוּטָה לַתַּמְחוּי אוֹ פְּרוּטָה לַקֻּפָּה מְקַבְּלִים מִמֶּנּוּ. וְאִם לֹא נָתַן אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן. נָתְנוּ לוֹ בְּגָדִים חֲדָשִׁים וְהֶחֱזִיר לָהֶן אֶת הַשְּׁחָקִין מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ. וְאִם לֹא נָתַן אֵין מְחַיְּבִין אוֹתוֹ לִתֵּן:
כסף משנה