If there are a few poor people who sit in front of shul every day is there a chiyuv to give them tzedakah every time you pass by? If they ask you specifically? Or they repeat “tzedakah”? or they just hold out a boul?
Answer:
In principle there is an obligation to give charity to a poor person who asks for it (see Rambam Matnos Aniim 7:2).
However, there is clearly no obligation to give a poor person charity money each time he asks – for in that case he could come back each minute and we would have to give him all our money!
In addition, the poor people in shul are asking the “congregation” or “community” for support. Their support is not the responsibility of any particular individual, but of the community as a whole.
Therefore, there is no full obligation to give the poor person money each time you meet him, even if he constantly asks for donations. However, it is good to set aside some change and give him / them something on a daily basis (of course this will come out of the “maaser account”).
Best wishes.
