Re'eh

When it comes to the mitzva of צדקה the Torah warns us ולא ירע לבבך בתתך לו כי בגלל הדבר הזה יברכך ה אלקיך, and let your heart not feel bad when you give him, for because of this matter, Hashem will bless you.

The אוצרות התורה asks, why is it that by the mitzva of צדקה the Torah has to make us promises to help us fight against the yetzer hara and guarantee us that we'll be blessed? The yetzer harah tries to get us not to do all the other mitzvos too, so why the extra emphasis by צדקה ?

He explains that the mitzva of צדקה is unique that even the yetzer hatov can convince one not to do it by saying, "how do you know that this person is worthy of your charity? You're not doing a mitzva just throwing away money". To thwart that thought the torah says ולא ירע לבבך, let your heart not feel bad while giving to anyone, for not only will you get reward, יברכך ה אלקיך, you will be blessed too. Why is that true? For the Jewish people, even if they're not always doing what they should, are still considered Hashem's children. What father wouldn't want you to feed his children even when he's angry at them?!

That's why the Torah says כי בגלל הדבר הזה for because of this thing. This thing being that you're giving charity to people who don't necessarily deserve it. In essence, what you're saying by doing that, is that we are all 'ה's children no matter what. That's how 'ה will consider you like his child & will bless you no matter what.

The gemara says poverty is a גלגל הוא שחוזר בעולם , a wheel that revolves around the world, and the only way to avoid it is by increasing the money one gives to tzedaka. For if you give then you show that you care about 'ה's children & then He will care about you.

The סבא מקלם asks, why did 'ה make the world like this that one gives charity to one who is needy,then 'ה gives the giver a bracha because of the needy one. Wouldn't it have been simpler to just bless the poor man & let the rich man keep what he has?

There's another gemara that says אין צדקה משתלמת אלא לפי חסד שבה that the reward for tzedaka is based upon the chesed that's involved, including the caring, the time & effort put in, & giving where you feel it.

This is exemplified by the following story which happened in Yerushalaim & was told over by ר' יחיאל מיכל גוטפרב. There was a knock at the door of a talmid chacham's home & a poor woman was standing there. She asked him for some chicken to eat. This man was a person who sat & learned all day & did not have a lot of money. He had 14 children & they subsisted on the barest necessities. He tried explaining to the woman that the only chicken he had was in the fridge & it was for the upcoming חג, & that this was the only time his family ever had chicken. If he was to give it to her they wouldn't have any for the חג . However she was adamant that she needed chicken & was crying to him about her sorry state & her hunger.

This man thought to himself, if this woman isn't ashamed to ask me for the food right out of my kids' mouths then it must be she really needs it. Nothing will happen if we don't have chicken for the חג; we'll survive.

Without a moments hesitation he tells her ok, wait here & I will go to the fridge & get it. The man goes to his ancient, beat up refrigerator & opens the door. As he opens the door he lets out a shriek of pure terror, for what did he find in the fridge? His three year old son who got locked inside & couldn't get out! The boy was almost totally blue & not breathing!

Miraculously, Hatzala was able to revive him. Afterward, the doctor said that had he been in there even seconds longer he wouldn't have made it.

This man felt the poor woman's pain & in an act of צדקה that was pure חסד, went to feed her. By doing so he saved his child's life.

Maybe this is why 'ה made the world this way, for there are times when it's not all about money; it's about showing you care, & there are times that we need those zechusim in our lives & need to show that we go out of our way for other people so that 'ה will have a reason to go out of His way for us!