Chomesh L’mehadrin

Question

This year, before Pesach, I distributed more tzedakah than chomesh of my salary for the entire year. I was certain that I would get these funds back quickly so I could distribute them to other tzedakos, but I have not received them as of yet. Although I have complete bitachon that I will get them back, in the interim I have a number of questions that I hope the rov can help me with:

1. There are other organizations that I usually give to, but giving to them now would cause financial difficulty for me and my family. I would like to know if I should have bitachon and give anyway or if that would be an aveirah.
   

2. Because of what is happening, I am rethinking my general tzedakah distribution. Should I give only to poor talmidei chachomim, or should I continue giving to other organizations, especially those that helped me do teshuvah?
   

3. In the city where I live, many individuals go around collecting for themselves. Should I give them money, and if so, should it count toward my chomesh?
   

4. I would prefer to distribute all of my chomesh to talmid Torah as mehadrin. If I do that, how should I categorize donations to other tzedakos? As a personal expense? Or would that be going over chomesh and thus an aveirah?
   

5. After I gave an unusually large check to poor talmidei chachomim, I had a major plumbing issue in my home. How can I understand that?

Rav Zafrani 

First of all, you are to be complimented for giving a chomesh and for wanting to perform this mitzvah l’mehadrin. If your bitachon is strong, then you will indeed receive these funds back. However, you cannot impose a timetable on Hashem. Part of the mitzvah of bitachon is waiting patiently for it to happen.

As far as how to best count chomesh, distributing funds to poor talmidei chachomim is certainly the most mehadrin way. If you are able to allocate all of your chomesh that way, it is definitely preferable.

That being said, Chazal established a takanah in Usha not to distribute more than a chomesh, lest one fall into financial distress. You must be cautious not to violate this principle by giving beyond your means.

If someone has a very high income and is able to give more than a chomesh without financial strain, it is permissible to do so. However, in your specific case, that does not appear to apply, so you should proceed with caution.

Based on the above, if you choose to, you may inform the individuals and organizations that do not fall under the category of poor talmidei chachomim that you have redirected all of your tzedakah to that cause and are no longer able to support them.

An exception, as you mentioned, includes those organizations that helped you do teshuvah, or other local organizations from which you personally benefited. You should give to them as an act of hakoras hatov. If the amounts are small and you can give from funds beyond your chomesh, that is mehadrin. If not, they should be counted as part of your chomesh.

Regarding your plumbing problem, understand that the yeitzer hara will stop at nothing to discourage you from supporting poor talmidei chachomim. Chazal teach us of a similar incident with Avrohom and Yitzchok on the way to the Akeidah, when the Soton sent wind, rain, and fire to deter them. The greater the zechus, the more obstacles the yeitzer hara will place in your path, either to stop you in the moment or to make you regret your actions afterward. You must stay strong in your emunah and bitachon, and continue forward without giving these stumbling blocks your attention.

I give you my heartfelt brocha to continue in your elevated tzedakah endeavors.