Glossary · Torah Ohr · Likkutei Torah

Tzedakah

צדקה

Charity (tzedakah)

Giving to the poor to “revive the spirit of the lowly,” as G‑d gives life to all worlds. All the mitzvos are called tzedakah; giving from one’s toil raises the animal soul.

The word In verses צדקה often means righteousness or justice (“tzedakah and mishpat”), and צדק alone names Malchus. The text reads such verses as charity and, more broadly, as all the mitzvos; context shows whether the gift to the poor, the mitzvos as a whole, or the sefirah is meant.

Where it’s explained

Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 6, ¶21As physical tzedakah given to a poor man revives “the spirit of the lowly,” so G‑d Himself does tzedakah, giving life to all the worlds, which are as nothing before Him. The same paragraph reads צדקה as צדק, judgment (the Name Ado-nai), sweetened by the hei, the five chasadim.פי׳ צדיק היינו בעל צדקה עד״מ הצדקה הגשמית שניתנת לעני להחיות רוח שפלים כך הקב״ה בכבודו ובעצמו עושה צדקה להחיות רוח שפלים שהן כל העולמות
Likkutei Torah, Reeh 4, ¶11Tzedakah bestows and draws down life to revive the lowly, and so does the keeping of every mitzvah; so all the mitzvos are called tzedakah, and tzedakah is called simply “the mitzvah.” “Through tzedakah you shall be established”: it makes a dwelling for Or Ein Sof, which the mitzvos as a whole guard and sustain.כי כמו שהצדקה היא השפעת והמשכת החיות להחיות רוח שפלים כך הוא קיום כל המצות כולם נקראים על שם צדקה
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 9, ¶9Tzedakah is a garment (“His garment is tzedakah”): as every thread joins into a great garment, so every coin of tzedakah joins into a great sum. So all the mitzvos are garments, and their details join into a “great sum,” the level of makif, sovev kol almin.אף צדקה כל פרוטה ופרוטה מצטרפת לחשבון גדול. כך כל המצות הם בחינות לבושין
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 6, ¶6Tzedakah, the sum of the practical mitzvos, is wholly physical, and the obligation to give comes through a person’s business in this world. Yet by giving the poor from his toil, the life of his soul, he raises the whole animal soul and its life: “tzedakah exalts a nation.”שע״י שנותן צדקה לעני מעמלו ויגיעו חיי נפשו הוא מעלה ומרומם את כל נפש הבהמית וחיותה
Torah Ohr, Yisro 1, ¶20Of Torah, avodah and gemilus chasadim, all three needed, gemilus chasadim is tzedakah: in general the whole Torah, which is called tzedakah, and in particular the actual deed of tzedakah, which revives the lowly and is called a sun, “a sun of tzedakah.”כי גמ״ח היינו צדקה. וצדקה היא כללות כל התורה שנק׳ בשם צדקה ובפרטות מעשה הצדקה ממש

Stated differently

Which level tzedakah draws or belongs to: Chesed of Zeir Anpin, Malchus, or Keser as Or Makif

Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 16, ¶7היינו על ידי תפילין ממשיכים בחינת חכמה ועל ידי צדקה בחינת חסד

The 248 positive mitzvos are the 248 limbs of the King, Zeir Anpin of Atzilus: tefillin draw Chochmah and tzedakah draws Chesed, until the hand that gives tzedakah is a vessel for G‑dliness as Chesed, the right arm in Atzilus, is.

Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 5, ¶25והטעם כי נעוץ תחלתן בסופן דווקא והיינו בצדקה שהיא במל׳

Tzedakah is a garment like the other mitzvos, with the added virtue that its fruits are eaten in this world too, because “their beginning is wedged in their end”: in tzedakah, which is in Malchus, the poor one that has nothing of its own.

Likkutei Torah, Reeh 9, ¶9ואח״כ בצדקה תכונני בחי׳ כתר כי תרי״ג מצות דאורייתא עם ז׳ מצות דרבנן הם תר״ך עמודי אור שמבחי׳ כתר והוא או״מ

“Your children” (prayer, Binah) and “your builders” (Torah, Chochmah) are inner light; then “through tzedakah you shall be established” is Keser: the 613 mitzvos with the seven rabbinic ones are 620 pillars of light from Keser, Or Makif, and the mitzvos as a whole are called tzedakah.

Main sources

Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 6, ¶21 Likkutei Torah, Reeh 4, ¶11 Likkutei Torah, Reeh 9, ¶9 Likkutei Torah, Shelach 9, ¶9 Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 14, ¶11 Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 16, ¶7 Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 6, ¶6 Torah Ohr, Yisro 1, ¶20

Where it appears

In 302 paragraphs of 174 maamarim.

Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 9 ¶11
Likkutei Torah, Bechukosai 5 ¶6 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 6 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 5 ¶2
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 10 ¶23 ¶35 ¶43
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 11 ¶6 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Eikev 2 ¶30
Likkutei Torah, Masei 4 ¶5 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Matos 1 ¶15
Likkutei Torah, Matos 6 ¶18 ¶19
Likkutei Torah, Nasso 2 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Nasso 3 ¶19
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 3 ¶16 ¶24 ¶27
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 6 ¶1 ¶5 ¶6 ¶10 ¶13 ¶14 ¶17 ¶18 ¶19 ¶21 ¶22 ¶42 ¶43
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 7 ¶4 ¶40
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 11 ¶6 ¶8 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 7 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 9 ¶9 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 5 ¶1 ¶24
Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 9 ¶1
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 8 ¶19 ¶48
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 10 ¶12 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 16 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 18 ¶4 ¶9 ¶11
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 22 ¶20 ¶23
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 23 ¶5 ¶28
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 28 ¶3 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 29 ¶11 ¶22
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 35 ¶2 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 40 ¶3
Likkutei Torah, Tazria 6 ¶20 ¶27
Likkutei Torah, Tzav 10 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, V’Zos HaBerachah 4 ¶4 ¶5 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 4 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 8 ¶6 ¶12
Torah Ohr, Beshalach 1 ¶10 ¶12
Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 1 ¶19
Torah Ohr, Shemos 9 ¶5
Torah Ohr, Vayeira 2 ¶3 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Devarim 1 ¶1 ¶5 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 4 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Acharei 4 ¶14
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 8 ¶3 ¶5 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Masei 9 ¶2
Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 5 ¶24 ¶25
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 4 ¶10 ¶11 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 8 ¶15 ¶19 ¶20
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 9 ¶1 ¶8 ¶9 ¶14 ¶15
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 3 ¶5 ¶14
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 14 ¶3 ¶7 ¶11 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 24 ¶4 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 39 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 1 ¶5 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 1 ¶29 ¶36
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 11 ¶13 ¶22
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 12 ¶27
Torah Ohr, Shemos 1 ¶13 ¶14 ¶40
Torah Ohr, Terumah 1 ¶13 ¶14
Likkutei Torah, Behar 2 ¶19
Likkutei Torah, Emor 1 ¶46 ¶47
Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 3 ¶5 ¶18 ¶30 ¶39
Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 4 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Ki Savo 1 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 6 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 6 ¶1 ¶2 ¶8 ¶9 ¶12 ¶21 ¶22
Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 7 ¶14 ¶16 ¶17 ¶18 ¶25
Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 1 ¶17 ¶21
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 1 ¶7 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 1 ¶2 ¶5 ¶17
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 26 ¶24
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 34 ¶5 ¶9 ¶10 ¶11 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 36 ¶4 ¶11
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 37 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 41 ¶30
Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 3 ¶3
Torah Ohr, Bereishis 2 ¶16 ¶27
Torah Ohr, Beshalach 2 ¶5
Torah Ohr, Beshalach 4 ¶8 ¶12 ¶13 ¶15 ¶16 ¶17 ¶19
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 6 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Masei 5 ¶16
Likkutei Torah, Matos 3 ¶3 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 15 ¶3
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 16 ¶14 ¶18
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 11 ¶1 ¶7
Torah Ohr, Va’eira 4 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Balak 1 ¶28
Likkutei Torah, Balak 2 ¶31
Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 3 ¶24
Likkutei Torah, Shabbos Shuvah 1 ¶1
Torah Ohr, Lech Lecha 1 ¶12
Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 1 ¶22
Likkutei Torah, Balak 3 ¶3 ¶20 ¶27
Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 3 ¶23
Likkutei Torah, Behar 1 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Eikev 3 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Emor 6 ¶9
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 1 ¶3 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 2 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 6 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 5 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 11 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 4 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 17 ¶11
Likkutei Torah, Tzav 3 ¶2
Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 10 ¶13
Torah Ohr, Shemos 3 ¶9
Torah Ohr, Vayechi 1 ¶15
Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 4 ¶23 ¶25 ¶26 ¶27 ¶28 ¶31 ¶32
Torah Ohr, Vayishlach 6 ¶5 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 7 ¶2 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 4 ¶20 ¶22
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 1 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 31 ¶2
Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur 1 ¶3
Torah Ohr, Tetzaveh 2 ¶16
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 7 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 1 ¶15
Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 3 ¶13
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 6 ¶6 ¶7 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 4 ¶7 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 8 ¶7
Likkutei Torah, Beshalach 1 ¶28 ¶29 ¶30
Likkutei Torah, Devarim 2 ¶1 ¶4 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Emor 2 ¶21 ¶30
Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 4 ¶23 ¶29
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 14 ¶11
Torah Ohr, Bereishis 1 ¶5 ¶9
Torah Ohr, Bereishis 3 ¶20
Torah Ohr, Ki Sisa 1 ¶26
Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 11 ¶8
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 6 ¶4
Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 7 ¶5 ¶17
Torah Ohr, Yisro 1 ¶20
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 17 ¶14
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 13 ¶20
Likkutei Torah, Tzav 6 ¶26
Torah Ohr, Bereishis 7 ¶8 ¶9
Torah Ohr, Chayei Sarah 2 ¶8
Torah Ohr, Ki Sisa 2 ¶6
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 15 ¶33 ¶34 ¶35
Torah Ohr, Noach 2 ¶4
Likkutei Torah, Acharei 1 ¶8 ¶14 ¶16
Likkutei Torah, Balak 5 ¶22
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 19 ¶12
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 20 ¶26
Likkutei Torah, Ki Savo 3 ¶14
Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 5 ¶9
Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 10 ¶9
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 30 ¶3
Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 5 ¶5
Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 2 ¶24
Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur 2 ¶9
Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 8 ¶8 ¶9
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 9 ¶11
Torah Ohr, Shemos 7 ¶5 ¶15
Torah Ohr, Terumah 2 ¶5
Torah Ohr, Yisro 7 ¶21 ¶30
Torah Ohr, Yisro 8 ¶18
Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 13 ¶15
Torah Ohr, Vayeitzei 4 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 2 ¶16
Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 32 ¶41
Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 6 ¶17
Likkutei Torah, Tzav 5 ¶2
Likkutei Torah, Tzav 1 ¶8
Likkutei Torah, Chukas 7 ¶6
Likkutei Torah, Emor 4 ¶27
Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 1 ¶11
Torah Ohr, Beshalach 5 ¶19
Likkutei Torah, Shelach 18 ¶5
Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 14 ¶20
Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur 3 ¶15
Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 12 ¶27
Likkutei Torah, Nasso 1 ¶2

Written with AI from the paragraphs of Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah, each entry checked by a second AI reader and every Hebrew quote checked by code; not yet reviewed by a person. Our English: CC BY-NC 4.0.

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