On days when the tone rises in everything related to the nature of prayers in the Western Wall plaza and the determination of halakhic policy, it is worth drawing attention for a moment to the many seekers of charity who have shaped the Western Wall atmosphere for many years, and the huge change in this area.
But if in the not-too-distant past everyone had in their pocket a few pennies to help the applicant and the bankrupt, then today the use of cash is dwindling.
The world of charity and philanthropy has adapted to the complex and new situation and has developed digital wallets, software and applications for charity and even digital artificial hand for charity by technological and electronic means, but the new phenomenon often creates a need to adapt to the new and digital reality of beggars.
A few years ago I was praying in the great beit midrash of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in New York when suddenly a young man approached me who wanted to engage in extensive activity in place of his mission, in one of the remote corners of the world. I apologized and said that I do not walk around with cash in my pocket and only the credit card is on me, and in response, with incredible nonchalance, Hela pulled out the 'palm' to collect charity digitally and charged me a round and accurate amount by reading the card. He told me that it is precisely the technological developments that have benefited with the organizations based on donations, since the revenues are arranged, receipts can be issued accordingly and the moral purity and correct and honest use of the donated money can be maintained. This is in addition to the fact that donations have greatly increased by these means, which has enabled the expansion of activity in the mission countries.
But what will happen to the city's poor who are tattered and collect coin after coin in order to survive another day of begging and fundraising from good people?
After all, most of them do not have the technical possibility of using secure technological tools for collection and clearing - although part of the idea that is a supreme value in the charity is to give charity in secret in a way that the donor remains anonymous, which is more complicated with regular clearing and reporting to authorities.
The commandment of charity in Judaism is a supreme value based on giving and caring for others.
If the individual fails to realize the fundraising independently in order to survive, the sages set up a 'public fund' which is a kind of 'taxi fund' intended to fulfill the commandment " The obligation to establish such a body, by the way, is imposed on public trustees (and perhaps in our time on elected officials), in order to finance the poor of the city by creating a fund and collecting donations for it.
The idea of tools for collecting charity was reflected in the collection of donations for the Mishkan, which was a kind of mobile spiritual temple of the people of Israel and accompanied them on their way in the desert until their entry into the Promised Land, and even centuries in the Land of Israel in various places. the king.
The cyber department in the biblical edition took care to secure the donation process by designing a charity fund in the form of a shofar, ie wide from below - to hold all the coins and narrow at the top - to prevent embezzlement and embezzlement without permission. the subsystem (fifteenth century - Italy): Htbot Tzrot Mlmalh and Rhbot Mlmth Akmot Cain horn, from before Hrmaim Sla Ioclo Lhcnis Idn Ltocn exhibit Atzmn Calo Notnin Ltocn, and Notlin Mtocn.
Thus, it seems that the responsibility of the collectors for the needs of the public was beyond collection also to preserve the value of the money and prevent its unfair use.
The practice of the charity funds was also borrowed for the community needs and rules of the people of Israel, especially in the years when the eyes of Diaspora Jews were married to Zion with longing and longing eyes.
Strengthening the Jewish community in the Land of Israel in those days of disgrace of hunger, poverty and extreme cold through charitable funds has been an important component of the Jewish home in recent centuries.
This is how the students of the Gaon from Vilna and the Hasidim were supported in coming to settle the Land of Israel, and this is how other organizations and groups were supported for which the funds were a source of life for the realization and fulfillment of the vision for the settlement of the land.
An array of fundraisers, who documented their place and scope, set foot in the world from village to village in crooked and difficult ways of collecting charity in an orderly fashion.
Experts say that at the beginning of the 20th century in Russia alone, there were more than a quarter of a million charity funds for the Jewish community in the country.
The world is global, but the beggar on the street does not know it, Photo: Getty Images
If so, the technological adaptation to the mitzvah of charity so thorough in our people seems to be required.
The mitzvah of charity by digital means essentially expresses the important mitzvah of giving charity and assistance to others, both in the managerial aspect - since an orderly and automatic documentation of all income and contribution is made and in the aspect of keeping thieves and assisting the needy and organizations.
However, it should be noted that at this time the realization is aimed and is mainly suitable for raising charity for organizations and institutions.
Therefore, we must remember the individual who is not always able to be helped and assisted by these organizations, lest he be hungry for bread and thirsty for water, since the commandment and responsibility rests on all of us as a society.
Another component that is not reflected in digital charity funds is the difficulty in the ability to quickly realize money for a portion of food.
The more virtual the justification and the farther from the success the harder it will be for life in the disgrace of hunger to obtain bread and basic products.
Mutual guarantee and the value of evil in the age of digitization can be integrated into a supervised, responsible and caring vision.
The responsibility is on us.
Rabbi Shraga Natan Dahan is an officer in the Res. Holds a master's degree in technology and is certified in rabbinate and law. Serves as a consultant and lecturer in public, security, educational and scientific bodies on the subject of halakhah, technology, medicine, science and space.