19 Mar MATANAS L’EVYONIM

During the days and
weeks before Purim the
mail is full of letters
requesting matanas
l’evyonim. In this
issue we will discuss
which people one has
to give to, how much
to give, when to give
and other relevant
halachos pertaining to

this mitzvah.
The Source
The posuk in the Megilah is the source of the
mitzvah to give matanas l’evyonim on Purim.
This means that one has to give “matanas”
to two people, which in essence means that
one has to give one matana to each of two
poor people. The more that one gives to poor
people on Purim the more fortunate he is.4
One should give more money to the poor on
Purim than he spends for mishloach manos
or the seuda. One who gladdens the hearts of
these unfortunate people is comparable to the
shechina’s presence.
Reason
One of the basic reasons for the mitzvah of
giving matanas l’evyonim is in order to make
poor people happy on this day when everyone
else is happy.7
Giving Generously
Aside from the minimum requirement of the
mitzvah of matanas l’evyonim, one should go
a step further and give to anyone who sticks
out a hand on Purim. However, it should be
pointed out that this only refers to poor people
who are collecting for themselves and not to
groups or people who are collecting for other
people. The poskim say that one may even
give to a non-Jew because of darchei sholom.
Although others say that the custom is not to
give to non-Jews, but one who has the custom
to do so may continue with it.
What’s Considered Money?
Check- The poskim maintain that giving a
check to a poor person fulfills the mitzvah
of matanas l’evyonim. Some say one should
make sure that either the bank is opened or
he can get something with the check i.e. food.
Others say that there is no reason for the bank
to be opened in order to fulfill the mitzvah,
but he should be able to buy something.
Some poskim say that one is permitted to
give a post-dated check as well.However,
the custom is not to give a post dated check
for the mitzvah of matanas l’evyonim. Some
poskim say the same would apply to one who
gives a check but does not have the funds to
cover the check. However, if one will have
funds when the poor person cashes the check
then it is permitted. One may use a credit card
for matanas l’evyonim if it will be processed
by Purim.
Money which can not be spent in the country
it is given in can not be used for the mitzvah
of matanas l’evyonim.
Food- The opinion of many poskim is that one

does not have to give money in order to fulfill
the mitzvah of matanas l’evyonim, and one
is permitted to give anything which the poor
person will benefit from.
Switching Meals
One who gives a seuda to his friend and his
friend gives him a seuda to his friend then
they were both yotzei matanas l’evyonim.
Who Are Obligated?
Women – women are obligated in this mitzvah.
Although some say a married woman is yotzei
the obligation when her husband gives, one
should not rely on this,and instead she should
ask her husband for money and give on her
own.A man can give to a poor woman and a
woman can give to a poor man.Additionally
when giving money for one’s wife he should
tell the gabbai to be koneh the money for his
wife and give it for her.
Poor Person- A poor person is obligated to
give matanas l’evyonim from the money
which he receives.
Children- A child should be trained in this
mitzvah and his father should either give him
money to give to the poor,31 or the father
should tell the child that he is giving on his
behalf.
How Much to Give
The opinion of the Ritva is that one may
give a pruta (a minimal amount) for matanas
l’evyonim.Others say that one should give
the amount that the poor person will be able
to buy a seuda with.Others say it should be a
chasuva amount.The opinion of Horav Moshe
Feinstein zt”l is that one should give one
dollar.However, this opinion was expressed
many years ago, and today one can not buy
much with that amount. One should give the
amount of money that one can buy a bagel
with cream cheese, and a coffee. Horav
Elyashiv Shlita is quoted as saying that one
can give fifty shekalim (in Eretz Yisroel).It is
praiseworthy to give small amounts of money
to many poor people instead of a lot of money
to fewer people.
From Masser Money
Since the mitzvah of giving matanas
l’evyonim is an obligation, one may not give
the ikkur obligation of matanas l’evyonim
from one’s masser money. However, if one
will be giving to more than one poor person
then he may use his masser money for the
other recipients.
Eating Before Sending Matanas L’evyonim
There are some poskim that say one should
not eat (a substantial amount of food, tasting
is permitted) before performing the mitzvah
of matanas l’evyonim. However, most
poskim say that one is permitted to eat before
the mitzvah is performed. The reason for this
leniency is because one will not forget to
send the matanas l’evyonim. Horav Moshe
Feinstein zt”l said one can give matanas
l’evyonim before the reading of the megilah
(by day). Others give it before davening.

Mishloach Manos First or
Matanas L’evyonim?
Many say that one should
give matanas l’evyonim
before giving mishloach
manos. Others maintain that
mishloach manos should
be given before matanas
l’evyonim since mishloach
manos is stated first in the
posuk. One who does not
have enough money for both
mitzvahs should give matanas
l’evyonim.
Sending before Purim
Many times ones sends a check in the mail
before Purim and it reaches the poor person
after Purim. The poskim say that in order for
one to fulfill the mitzvah properly one should
make sure that the poor person receives the
money on Purim because of a concern that the
poor person will use the money before Purim.
One who will be sending to many poor people
can send the money even if it reaches the poor
person before Purim. If the poor person has
the money one was yotzei and there is no
difference if the poor person actually used
the money of the seuda or not.

Classifying a Poor Person
The opinion of some is that an “evyon” is
different than a poor person and one only
has an obligation to give an “evyon” on
Purim. A poor person is someone who has
embarrassment to ask for money, and an
“evyon” does not have embarrassment. The
accepted opinion is that any poor person may
be given money on Purim. Some say a poor
person in this regard, means one who does not
have a steady salary and cannot support his
family. Others say that one since it is not
common to find a person who does not have
money for a seuda, one can give for hachnasas
kallah, health etc. A son who is being
supported by his parents is not a poor person
and one cannot give him matanas l’evyonim.
There is a discussion in the poskim whether a
husband and wife can qualify as two separate
people in regard to matanas l’evyonim.
Using a Messenger
There is no need for one to hand the money
to the poor person by himself, rather he
may use a messenger for this purpose The
Aruch Ha’shulchan says one can appoint a
messenger before Purim to give for him on
Purim.
Giving Money to Poor People in Eretz Yisroel
Recently it has become the custom to give to
poor people in Eretz Yisroel. What happens
is that whatever pledges are given in America
someone in Eretz Yisroel lays out the money
until he is reimbursed. According to the
view of the Aruch Ha’shulchan mentioned
above it would seem that one is not yotzei
since the messenger was not made on Purim.
Nonetheless, the custom is to be lenient.

Money to Rabbbeim
The Aruch Ha’shulchan maintains that one
should give money on Purim to all people
who are involved in klei kodesh. When giving
money to Rabbeim etc one is not yotzei the
mitzvah of matanas l’evyonim. One can use
masser money for this purpose.
Mochel
If the poor person said that he is mochel the
money, the giver was not yotzei the mitzvah
of matanas l’evyonim.
Day or Night
The main time to give matanas l’evyonim is
on the day of Purim and not the night before,
one who gave it at night was yotzei according
to some poskim. If one will be giving to
more than one person then one may give the
matanas l’evyonim at night as well. When
groups come collecting at night after the
Purim seuda there is no mitzvah of matanas
l’evyonim at that time. Giving to them is still
a mitzvah of tzedaka. One should give the
matanas l’evyonim before shekiah on Purim
day.
Different Time Zones
When money is distributed by people in
America for poor people in Eretz Yisroel it
is very often done when it is early morning
in Eretz Yisroel and at night in America. It is
unclear why this is permitted. It could be that
the permissibility of this would depend on the
question if one is allowed to give matanas
l’evyonim before Purim. If an American who
observes Purim on the fourteenth gives money
to a Jew in Eretz Yisroel who observes Purim
on the fifteenth, he has fulfilled his obligation
if the poor person still has the money in his
possession on the fifteenth.
Forgiving a Debt
If a poor person owes money, one is not
yotzei the mitzvah of matanas l’evyonim if
he is mochel the debt and does not give him
other money for Purim.
Knowing Who Gave the Money
In many cases when one gives money to a
poor person on Purim it is done through the
mail. The poskim address the question if the
poor person has to know who sent him the
money.
The opinion of the poskim is that the poor
person does not need to know who is giving
the money and the giver is yotzei in any case.