Poor man donating 999 vs rich man donating 1000?

Question

I have the following dilemma with my father in law. I'm stating that assuming that both men have given their 10% if a rich man gives $1000 he makes a bigger mitzva than if a poor man gives $999. My take is that Judaism is about actions and general world improvement more than intentions. So that extra $1 makes another child eat then the rich man made the world better than the poor man even with the extra effort that he endured.

Is there any direct reference in texts about bigger mitzvot being accounted on results instead of intentions?

Do the texts specifically say what would be the bigger mitzva? To elaborate further, which action is better looked in the eyes of Hashem (Which action has the bigger reward)?

Answer 1

On the contrary, intentions are what matter. A poor person doing everything he can is treated just the same by God as a rich person doing everything he can.

We can learn this from the classic statement אחד המרבה ואחד הממעית - ובלבד שיכוון ליבו לשמים (Whether one gives a lot or a little, the important thing is his intent). The source is about size of the sacrifice (Menachot 110a) but certainly applies to tzedaka as well.

Answer 2

On the contrary, the penultimate Mishnah in Chapter 5 of Pirqe'i Avot states (my translation):

בן הא הא אומר, לפום צערא אגרא

Ben He He says, 'According to the pain is the reward'

Since each marginal dollar from the poor man is a higher percentage of his income, he receives greater reward for nevertheless choosing to give to others beyond the letter of the law.

It should simultaneously be made clear, however, that despite the nearly unparalleled importance of ẓedaqah (charity), this miẓwah should not come at the expense of one's other obligations (i.e. one should not make oneself poor by giving away all of one's money). See the proper balance one must practice in honoring the Shabbat for a similar concept.

Answer 3

Neither would be a "bigger mitzvah" as you are calling it. One would be a mitzvah and that would be the rich man who gives $1000 and the poor man who gives away such a llarge amount of money would be taking away needed money from his family. There is a limit on how much of one's earnings one is permitted to give away especially if doing so will end up having a harmful impact on one's family which is more likely to happen to a poor person gave away such a sum of money. I don't recall the exact gemarrah that discusses this but did a quick google search and found this article which discusses this point... http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1126600/jewish/Is-There-Such-A-Thing-As-Too-Much-Charity.htm