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Charity and Tithing by Noahides

In addition to the 7 Noahide commandments, there are logical obligations for Gentiles, which means they must perform them unless there is a logical reason not to do so. In light of this, are poor Gentiles logically obligated to give charity?
Citing "The Divine Code", Part I, topic 3:9 (p. 73):

The applies even for a person who is "very poor" (which is a relative designation; a person who is considered poor in a wealthy country might be considered well-off in a disadvantaged country). This includes even someone who goes begging for his livelihood; he is obligated to give at least a bit of his livelihood, at least once in a while, as proper charity to help another poor person - especially for someone who is more poor than he is.

At the same time, a Gentile is not obligated to endanger his own life by giving away money that he or his dependents need to survive - especially since the giving of charity does not have to be only with money. One suggestion is that a poor person can donate blood at a hospital or a Red Cross center. A person can also do charitable deeds with his time and effort, such as spending time helping someone who needs physical assistance (for example, helping people who are elderly or disabled), or caring for or visiting a sick person, or volunteering at a charitable institution. Note that if you drive your car as part of doing a charitable deed, the cost of the gasoline you expend is part of the charity.

But in order to be considered true charity, goods deeds must be done with a generous, friendly, caring attitude toward the person who is being helped. If the one helping shows anger or belittles or humiliates the person being helped, that is likely to be counted as a sin.

Dedication to giving proper charity is especially important in our time. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe declared to a CNN reporter in 19'91: "Moshiach is ready to come now, we all must only do something additional in the realm of goodness and kindness.”
alexdantas Wrote:By the Grace of G-d

For a Noahide who is in debt, paying interest to banks, wrapped in debt, struggling to pay monthly bills, etc ... may this be an "excuse" to not give tsedaka/charity, only for a certain period of course?
I ask this based on the life of a widow who goes through this, who has two daughters, who sometimes considers to stop giving tsedaka/charity.
I was reading this forum thread on this subject. That discussion made me think ... I desire to act properly, since I am teaching her the Nohide path.

Yes, those financial troubles may be a valid excuse for a Noahide to *reduce* the amount of tsedaka/charity that is being given, because it is necessary to pay monthly bills, pay off loans, and provide for the needs of the children, and not go farther into debt.

But in consideration of the good deed of proper tsedaka/charity, which G-d is trustworthy to repay and reward, and along with repentance it also atones for sins, it is not wise to completely stop giving proper tsedaka/charity. Even setting aside (in a charity box or a charity can) just one or two small coins in a day for tsedaká (without a vow) counts as a good deed, and it brings more of G-d's blessings to the person.
I would like to know if it is meritorious for a Gentile to donate to Jewish organisations that are attempting outreach to Jews to bring them back to Orthodox Judaism?

The Jewish people returning to Torah in greater numbers will bring great benefits to mankind and assist the redemption of the whole world.

Can a Gentile have a share in the spiritual reward of Jews returning to Judaism based on kiruv efforts that were at least partially funded by them?

Thanks for your time
God bless you
B"H. Thank you for your good wishes, and for your interest in donating to that effort. As taught by Rambam (Maimonides) in Laws of Kings, end of Chapter 10, a more correct option (and therefore one with greater merit for the donor) is for a Noahide to donate to Orthodox Jewish organizations that provide "kosher" physical assistance (food, clothing, etc.) to Jews who are suffering from poverty. For example, there are many poor Jews in Israel who depend on charity for their survival. One such organization is Colel Chabad:


On the other hand, it is an actual obligation within the Noahide Code for Gentiles to encourage other Gentiles to take upon themselves observance of the 7 Noahide Commandments. And when Gentiles accept this observance in greater numbers as a result of this encouragement, it will bring great practical and spiritual benefits to mankind and hasten the redemption of the whole world, may it happen very speedily.

Therefore it is very meritorious for Gentiles to donate to organizations that are doing correct Torah-based outreach to Gentiles for observance of the Noahide Commandments and recognition that this is the will of the One True G-d for mankind.

By providing this assistance, Gentiles will have a share in the spiritual reward for the 7-Laws outreach efforts that were (at least partially) funded by them. See, for example, the last paragraph of the following letter from Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet o.b.m., where he says that providing support for these efforts is an "immeasurably great 'zechut' [merit]":


At the same time, a Gentile should not overlook the merit and necessity of helping his fellow Gentiles when they are in need.

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