עברית
Prayer and Blessings
Prayer Before Giving Charity
Question
I wanted to ask a question. I have a charity box at home, and I donate every morning. I wanted to know if I need to say something before the donation or if nothing is said. Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Shabbat. We greatly appreciate you. May you be blessed from Heaven, and may you merit many Mitzvot.
With great respect, best wishes, .............. Australia Melbourne
Answer
Shalom u'vracha,
Before giving charity, there is no obligation to pray, but it is advisable not to miss such an auspicious time to pray. Therefore, it is fitting to say a short prayer from the depths of the heart, and one can connect a personal prayer for this purpose. There are prayers before giving charity in the holy books, some are long and some are short. I will provide you with a short prayer before giving charity from the holy book 'Ben Zion':
"For the sake of uniting the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shechinah, in the name of all Israel, He who is exalted and dwells with the lowly, Who hears the cry and supports, let me give this amount for charity, and may it be pleasing to Hashem as the fragrant incense. To Him I will look, I will hope, I will wait, I will expect."
"לשם יחוד הקדוש ברוך הוא ושכינתו, בשם כל ישראל, רם ושוכן את דכא, המאזין זעקה שועה, צעקה, נאקה. אתן סכום זה לצדקה, וערבה לה` כקטורת סמים דקה, אליו אני אצפה, אייחל, אקווה, אחכה".
"Le-shem yiḥud ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu u-Shekhinato, be-shem kol Yisrael,
ram ve-shokhen et daka, ha-ma'azin za‘akah, shav‘ah, tza‘akah, ne’akah.
Eten sakhum zeh le-tzedakah, ve-‘aravah la-Hashem ke-ketoret samim dakah,
elav ani atzappeh, ayyaḥel, akaveh, aḥakeh."
Shabbat shalom and a good and blessed week - Menashe Yisrael
