Chapter 34: 7-9
The Laws Pertaining to Tzedakah
7. Anyone who gives charity to a person in an unfriendly manner, with his face buried in the ground, forfeits his merit even if he gave him one thousand gold pieces. He also transgresses the prohibition (Deuteronomy 15:10): "Do not feel bad about giving him." Rather, one should give in a pleasant manner, with happiness, sharing his suffering with him, as [Job 30:25] declares: "Did I not cry for the person beset by difficulty? Did my soul not grieve for the needy?" He should speak words of comfort and consolation to him, as [Job 29:13] states: "I brought joy to the widow's heart."
8. It is forbidden to turn away empty-handed a poor man who asks for a gift, even if all you give him is a dried fig, as [Psalms 74:21] states: "Do not turn away the oppressed ashamed." If you have nothing to give him, console him with words. It is forbidden to rebuke harshly or raise one's voice against a poor person, for his heart is broken and humble; behold, [Psalms 51:19] states: "a broken and humble heart, G-d will not disdain."
Woe unto he who embarrasses the poor! Rather, we should be like parents to them, showing them mercy and speaking to them, as [Job 29:16] states: "I am a father to the destitute."
9. Promises to tzedakah are considered as vows. Therefore, someone who says: "I promise to give a sela to charity" or "This sela is for charity" must give it to the poor immediately. If he delays, he violates the prohibition (Deuteronomy 23:22): "Do not delay," for it was possible for him to have given it immediately.
If there are no poor in his vicinity, he should set the money aside until he meets a poor person.
If he makes a vow in the synagogue to give tzedakah which is entrusted to the gabbai, he does not violate the above mentioned prohibition until the gabbai request that he pay. If he delays doing so, he violates the prohibition immediately. There is an exception when the gabbai tells him that he has no immediate need for funds and merely request that he entrust he promised monies to him.
10. A person who promises: "I will give a sela to so and so," does not
violate the above prohibition until he meets that poor person. A person may
set aside money for tzedakah so that it will be available for him to
distribute a little bit at a time, as he sees fit.
