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What dates/months/seasons (or holidays) are considered most auspicious and/or customary for giving monetary gifts, such as tzedakah? I am aware from my own experience that Purim and erev Yom Kippur seem to be such times...maybe Chanukah, too. Are there any others?

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    now............ Mar 15, 2015 at 3:19
  • @ShmuelBrin Presumably to claim a tax deduction?
    – SAH
    Mar 15, 2015 at 3:55
  • @ShmuelBrin (Or is it something special about 24 Adar?)
    – SAH
    Mar 15, 2015 at 3:57
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    Nein Maavirin Al HaMitzvos, Mitzva Ba LeYado Al Tachmiztena (kind of Inyanei DeYoma) Mar 15, 2015 at 4:43
  • Not enough for an answer, but I just read that on fast days, it is customary to give extra charity.
    – SAH
    Jul 23, 2015 at 11:13

1 Answer 1

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It is customary to pledge charity when saying yizkor (which is said on the last day of Pesach and Shavuos and on Yom Kipur and Sh'mini Atzeres) or "Kel male" (said anytime for specific persons, especially on or before a yahrzeit). (P're M'gadim, MZ, OC 284:2.)

There are requirements to give to the poor on Purim (OC 694) and before Pesach (Rama, OC 429:1). It's customary to do so (in the form of three halves of the prevailing currency, e.g. three half-dollar coins) just before Purim (Kitzur SA 141:5).

It's good to give charity before lighting Shabas candles (Kitzur SA 75:2), to increase charity during the ten days of repentance (130:1) and (especially to poor Torah scholars) on Chanuka (139:1), and to give to the poor on erev Yom Kipur (131:1).

Many have the custom of pledging charity when attending a mitzva meal, such as a wedding. (Taame Haminhagim 981.)

Many have the custom of pledging charity when receiving an honor, like an aliya, at the Torah scroll or in the synagogue. (Taame Haminhagim, footnote 5 to 835.)

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  • Thanks. Since yizkor is always yomtov, does one make the pledge before or after? And does one make it then only if one is saying yizkor?
    – SAH
    Mar 15, 2015 at 13:08
  • Also, do people have the custom to make general donations at Purim and 'before Pesach' or is it literally just for money to the poor? (apart from the actual mitzvos of wheat money and Purim matenas l'viyonim)
    – SAH
    Mar 15, 2015 at 13:10
  • @SAH AFAIK yizkor money is pledged (but of course not given) at yizkor itself and primarily/only by those saying yizkor.
    – msh210
    Mar 15, 2015 at 14:07
  • @SAH Wheat money and matanos laevyonim are what I'm referring to in my answer.
    – msh210
    Mar 15, 2015 at 14:07
  • Why wouldn't pledging money, with the intention to give it later, violate the laws of yomtov? (It would certainly violate the laws of Shabbos...) I realize people do this all the time; why is it allowed?
    – SAH
    Jul 23, 2015 at 11:15

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