The Secret to Unlocking Blessings: Give without Hesitation

One night, a traveler knocked on the door of a simple man who lived at the edge of a small village.

Key entering a luminous keyhole. Digital illustration, 3D rendering. Photo by iStock

“I had a dream,” the traveler said, “that if I come to the last house in the village, the owner will give me a precious diamond that will change my life.”

The man thought for a moment, went to a small box, and pulled out a massive diamond.

“Many years ago, I found this stone and kept it in this box,” he said. “If this is what you seek, take it—it’s yours.”

The traveler was stunned. Without hesitation, the man handed over his most valuable possession.

That night, the traveler couldn’t sleep. He held the diamond in his hands, but something inside him felt unsettled.

By morning, he ran back to the simple man’s home and placed the diamond on the table.

“I don’t want the diamond,” he said. “I want to know what you have inside of you that allowed you to give it away so easily. Teach me how to have that kind of heart.”

This story captures what true generosity is all about. It’s not about what we give or how much—it’s about how freely we give. A person who gives without hesitation is someone who understands that their wealth, their blessings, and even their possessions aren’t truly theirs. The deeper secret of tzedakah isn’t about supporting others—it’s about transforming ourselves into people who give with a whole heart.

In Judaism, giving isn’t optional. It’s not something reserved for the wealthy or those with extra to spare. It’s an obligation on every Jew, whether rich or struggling.

The Torah commands:

“Aser t’aser” – “You shall surely tithe” (Devarim 14:22).

The Talmud (Taanit 9a) explains that ma’aser (tithing) is not only a mitzvah but a path to financial blessing. The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 7:1) goes even further:

“We are obligated to be exceedingly careful with tzedakah, for it is the sign of a righteous person, a descendant of Abraham. One who refuses to give is not considered part of the Jewish people.”

The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 249:1) states:

“One should give a tenth of their earnings to tzedakah, and the most exemplary level is to give one-fifth.”

Giving isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are.

This week’s Torah portion, Parshas Terumah, describes the donations the Jewish people gave to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle), Hashem’s dwelling place in this world.

“V’zos ha’terumah asher tikchu me’itam – zahav, vakesef, u’nechoshes.”
“These are the offerings that you shall take from them: gold, silver, and copper.” (Exodus 25:3)

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that these three materials represent three types of givers:

Gold-Hearted Giver – The highest level. Zahav (gold) stands for “Zeh HaNoten Bari”—”One who gives while they are healthy.” These people give freely, out of love, without needing to be asked.

Silver-Hearted Giver – A lower level. Kesef (silver) stands for “Keshe’roeh Sakanah Podeh”—”When they see danger, they give to save themselves.” These people give when they realize life is fragile, often in times of crisis.

Copper-Hearted Giver – The lowest level. Nechoshet (copper) stands for “Netinat Choleh She’omer T’nu”—”A sick person who says: ‘Give in my merit!'” These are the people who wait until the very end of their life to give, hoping their last act of charity will make up for missed opportunities.

This lesson reminds me of a story about Reb Zusha of Anipoli.

There was once a wealthy family who experienced incredible success. When they sat down to think about why, they realized that for the past month, they had been giving tzedakah daily to Reb Zusha, a hidden tzaddik who lived in extreme poverty.

They thought, “If this small act of giving brought us success, let’s do more!” So they invited Reb Zusha to live in their guesthouse, and their blessings grew even more.

But then, the Satan himself disguised as a Torah scholar and came to test them.

He told them: “Your fortune would be even greater if you housed a great Torah scholar instead of a simple poor man.”

They hesitated but eventually sent Reb Zusha away and replaced him with a new guest.

And suddenly—everything collapsed. Their business failed, their wealth disappeared, and they lost everything.

Desperate, they searched for Reb Zusha and begged him:

“Please forgive us!”

Reb Zusha thought for a moment and replied:

“I’m sorry, but I cannot forgive you. When you gave tzedakah freely, Hashem blessed you freely. But once you started calculating who ‘deserved’ charity, Hashem also started calculating whether you ‘deserved’ His blessings.”

Tzedakah isn’t about calculations. It’s about trust. It’s about giving because it’s the right thing to do. When we give without limits, Hashem blesses us without limits. When we do unmeasured kindness, Hashem does unmeasured kindness for us.

The Mishkan was built with the contributions of every single Jew—rich and poor alike. It wasn’t about the amount they gave. It was about the willingness to give.

Jewish life thrives because of people who step forward without hesitation—people who give like gold.

The Rebbe once said in an interview with CNN:
“The only thing needed to bring the final redemption is to do more acts of goodness and kindness.”

This is the secret of tzedakah. It’s not just about charity. It’s about justice. It’s about changing the world.

And most importantly—it’s about changing ourselves.

May we all merit to be at the level of zahav, the gold-hearted giver.

Shabbat Shalom & Chodesh Tov!