Tam and Chacham were collecting tzedakah to provide for the needs of the less fortunate in the community. Everywhere they went they were welcomed and people gave what they could. The need was great and the money they collected was small.

Jewish people give tzedakah, which means “righteousness” and “justice.” When a Jewish person contributes their money, time and resources to the needy, they are not being benevolent, generous or “charitable.” Giving tzedakah is the merely following the teachings of the TaNaCh (Scriptures) where it says:

“If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community…do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. (Deuteronomy 15:7) Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of G-d will not be turned away from you. (Tobit 4:7) Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, (Proverbs 28:27)”

There lived in a grand house a very wealthy merchant who refused to contribute to the community charities. Everyone knew he would not contribute to any community cause, so nobody even tried to collect charity from him. Chacham insisted on going door to door collecting what they may, but Tam insisted on going to the home of the wealthy merchant.

They knocked on the fine wooden door and were greeted by the wealthy merchant. He welcomed the guests into his house and offered them some food and drink while discussing holy matters. Chacham began to explain the importance of tzedakah with the wealthy merchant, but he dismissed him saying, “The poor like to complain, they have nothing better to do.”

Chacham became angry, but Tam steered the conversation to the subject of the Egyptian sorcerers and magicians described in the Torah (Scriptures), who were able to imitate some of Moses’s miracles. The rich man revealed that he was modern thinking about all of this, and doubted that anyone could perform either magic or miracles.

“Why do you say that?” Tam asked casually, ignoring the disrespect to the Torah. “Even I can perform miracles. I will gladly do so right now, but only if you donate one-hundred golden coins to charity.” The wealthy merchant accepted the challenge.

“Very well,” Tam said, adjusting his tone to the event. “I will now show you that if you place four piles of twenty-five golden coins on the corners of this table, I will utter only one word, and the money will find its way into the bowl at the center.” The wealthy merchant was trembling with anticipation as he placed the four piles of golden coins on the four corners of the table. “Chacham” Tam called to his companion, who promptly picked up the four piles of golden coins and put them into the bowl. “Well, there you have it! It is just as I said,” Tam confirmed.

“That is not fair!” the wealthy man howled in protest. “There was no miracle involved in this.”

“No miracle?” Tam mocked, good-naturedly. “You think that getting one-hundred gold coins for charity out of you is not a miracle?”

Everyone had a hearty laugh, and the wealthy merchant was left without ill feelings.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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