Question:
I know somebody, a big talmid chacham, who learns a lot of torah, and he doesnt like receiving tzedaka money. he is in a tremendous state of poverty, but still doesnt like taking money from people. He has one relative who can give him money and he will take it. However, if he is given money on Purim, he will know it is for matanos li’evyonim, and refuse. My question is, if i could be zocheh in money for him for matanos lievyonim, and then have it given to him at a later date, so that he wont suspect where the money came from. Do we say zachin liadam by matanos lievyonim?
Answer:
The money given for matanos l’evyonim has to be useable for the purim seudah, if the poor person doesn’t know that it even exists, it can’t be considered given to him for this halacha. Needless to say that giving money to such a worthy cause is also a tremendous mitzvah. ,
Sources:
Ri Megadsim O:CH E:A 694-1, M:B 694-2, R’ .Y. Cahen and R‘ S .T. Rosenblatt shlit”a.
So once the poor person starts his seudah it invalidates him as a receipient since it obviously isnt going to his seuda? And if I raise more than he needs for his seuda, I cant give it because it wont be used for his seuda? It seems to be chaluk the reason for the mitzvah and the actual kiyum hamitzvah. Do you not think so?
It has to possible for him to use it for his seuda. Even after he starts eating or after he finishes eating, he can still technically eat more. If he is given more than is needed for the meal, he can use any part of the money for the meal. That is all included. What is not included is, if he can’t use it on purim, such as if he doesn’t know about it and it isn’t in his possession, or if it isn’t possible to make it into cash today.
in our days the ikar simcha of matanos laevyonim is not for the seuda – the money is generally not used for the seuda a nd often given when the seuda is already eaten or at least prepared – rather it is for general expenses and probably more for pesach
the pri megadim was speaking when people needed money to actually purchase seudas purim – but in our days it would seem he would agree that any money would be fine
his idea is not from a gemara or rishonim as far as i know
so its a big chiddush that you are causing a talmid chacham who lives bdachkus to lose out because of this pri megadim, but it would bu ok if he was given the money 5 minutes before shkiyah because he can run to the store?
The basic purpose of matanos levyonim didn’t change. If you have any sources to change the halacha let me know, but otherwise just a svara isn’t going to to change the way chazal set up the mitzvah, and it’s purpose. If he would be give nthe money 5 minutes before shkiya, then it is differant as you wrote.
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