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Rambam on Pirkei Avos 3:15 suggests that it is better to give a certain amount of tzedakah each day over several days rather than giving the equivalent total all at once, because each act of giving amounts to a unique mitzvah.

In this regard, what if someone has a tzedakah box in their home, and after contributing to it for a time, decides to collect the contents and deliver it to a needy person? Does this constitute a single act of tzedakah, since the money remained in the donor's control until the end, or does each act of designating funds for tzedakah equate to the mitzvah of giving charity?

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    A test case could be: if you decide to give ¥100 to tzedakka and put it in a pushka and then the pushka is stolen; must you give the ¥100 again? – Double AA♦ Jul 14 at 22:51
  • The close vote seems inappropriate. The OP is by no means asking a shailoh. – Avrohom Yitzchok Jul 15 at 16:11
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Logically speaking, it's never tzedakah unless money changes hands.

The Rambam's 8 levels of tzedakah [Hilkhot matanot aniyim ("Laws about Giving to Poor People") 10:7–14] all begin with "giving". What have you "given" when you put money in a pushka?

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    I agree. But by transferring the money from your pocket to the tzedakah box, a good deed has been done. This deed is reversible and therefore the donation is not yet tzedakah. – Avrohom Yitzchok Jul 15 at 16:10
  • What about amira l'gavoha k'mesira l'hedyot – yishairasowsky Jul 19 at 13:27

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