Rabbi Moss: Is Volunteering Considered Charity?

Question of the Week:

I know we are meant to give one tenth of our income (after tax) to charity. What if I volunteer my time for a charity? Can I deduct that from my ten percent?

Answer:

There are two distinct types of kind acts - Tzedakah and Chessed. The first really means justice, doing that which is only just and fair. The second means kindness, doing more than is fair, acting out of the goodness of your heart.

One tenth of your income is not really yours. It was entrusted to you temporarily, so you can have the privilege of helping the needy. So it is only fair that you pass it on to its rightful owner. This is tzedakah.

But beyond the obligation to give tzedakah, we must do acts of chessed. This is the kindness we do with our own time and money, like helping our friend move house, visiting someone who is unwell, or hosting a guest in our home.

Volunteering your time could be tzedakah, and it could be chessed, depending on the circumstances. The question is, would you normally have been paid for your time? If a computer technician fixes the computer system for a charity organisation pro bono, he can deduct the amount he would have earned from his ten percent tzedakah obligation That's because he is normally paid for fixing computers. But if that same guy manned the barbecue at a charity event, that is chessed, not tzedakah. He is not usually paid to flip burgers, so it's not deductible from his tithing obligation.

Another difference between tzedakah and chessed: For an average income earner, there is a maximum amount one should not exceed when giving tzedakah, which is one fifth of one's income. Otherwise you may endanger your own financial stability. But when it comes to chessed, there is no limit to the kindness you can do.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Moss

To subscribe CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au

This week we poured our front column lying down, and then picked it up and put it in place. A great step forward as it now allows us to complete the roof and move towards lock-up phase.

Shabbat Shalom to all,

Brent

STILL IN A TRANCE FROM THE SHABBATON!

Over 100 people trekked off to Jamberoo for the fourth annual Nefesh Shabbaton Retreat. It was the best ever - music and song led by Shmuli Rosenbaum, jam-packed fun kids program led by Rabbi Sufrin and his team, meditations, discussions and farbrengens and just so much fun. And so much food! To top it off, a hilarious and spell-binding hypnotist show. We can't wait for the next one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALL SERVICES AT NEFESH

1 FRANCIS ST BONDI BEACH

(OFF CAMPBELL PDE, BEHIND NOAH'S BACKPACKERS)

SHABBOS SERVICE TIMES & COMMUNITY INFO: Eikev

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday, 23 August 2019| 22 Av 5779

Candle Lighting.................................. 5:13pm

Shabbos Service ................................ 6:00-6:50pm

Kids Program .................................... 6:00pm

Kiddush sponsored by Anita & Danny Berkovits in honour of Lexie's Bat Mitzvah this weekend- Mazal Tov!

Shabbos Day, 24 August 2019 | 23 Av 5779

Chassidic Meditation Class.............9:00am

Shabbos Service......................... 10:00am-12:20pm

Kids Program ............................ 10:30am

Kiddush & Lunch sponsored in the memory Norman and Henry Majer's late mother Sara Chana Bat Yekutiel, their father Shimon Ben Zvi, Eva Majer's father Chaim Laib Ben Alter, as well as Eva's late grandparents Baile Bat Chaim Ve Tova and Yitzhak Ben Benjomin Halevi- Long Life

Mincha after Kiddush

No Shiurim or Maariv services this week

Shabbos ends... 6:09pm

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Sunday.............................. 8:00am

Mon- Fri............................. 7:00am

Latest Shema this week........ 9:10am

New Moon/ Molad...... Friday 30 August 5:06:4pm

HAPPY JEWISH BIRTHDAY

Todd Gothelf.................. 23 Av/ Saturday 24 August

Anna Segre.................... 26 Av/ Tuesday 27 August

Yisrael-Shemaya Ezekiel...26 Av/ Tuesday 27 August

Liorah Kessel................. 28 Av/Thursday 29 August

Carmelle Hedges............ 28 Av/ Thursday 29 August

Romy Lessem................. 29 Av/ Friday 30 August

LONG LIFE

Pia Ink for her late brother Zachariah Wolanski

Zachariah ben Shoshana Rivka... 25 Av/ Monday 26 August

Rene Bermeister for her late father Gerald Bernard Benson,

Yaakov ben Natan...28 Av/ Thursday 29 August

If you would like Nefesh to include your Birthday, Anniversary or Yortzheit in our newsletter and send you an email reminder, just fill in this quick ONLINE FORM.