Jewish law principles

thumb|Tzedakah box (Pushke), Charleston, 1820, silver, [[National Museum of American Jewish History]] Tzedakah ( ṣədāqā, ) is a Hebrew word meaning "righteousness", but commonly used to signify charity. This concept of "charity" differs from the modern Western understanding of "charity". The latter is typically understood as a spontaneous act of goodwill and a marker of generosity; tzedakah is an ethical obligation, and it is not properly "charity", like in Christendom, but a way to empower poor people to support themselves, helping them in developing their talents and skills. The Medieval Jew