Ready and Willing

It is told that Rav Simcha Bunim was once on his way home from Danzig when he stopped in the town where Rav Zalman Chasid lived, a man great in Torah and in good deeds but desperately poor. At the inn, Rav Simcha Bunim sent for Rav Zalman and saw that he was dressed in rags, although it was winter, bitterly cold, with the snow piled high.

"Go," he told him, "and prepare a full meal for me, a meal for chassidim." He handed him a fistful of coins without counting them. Rav Zalman went to the market and bought everything generously: meat, fish and all kinds of drinks, and he still had money left over.

While Rav Zalman was out, Rav Simcha Bunim sent for a furrier and bought a handsome fur coat, and also boots, cloth for suits and other clothing. Before the meal, he told the janitor of the inn to carry all the new clothes to Rav Zalman's house. Then he went there himself, sent everyone out, and dressed Rav Zalman from head to toe. He saw that Rav Zalman's family was also in rags, and he sent for fabric and cloth for everyone in the household. The house filled with light and joy, and they sat down together to eat and rejoice.

As Rav Simcha Bunim prepared to leave, he went to Rav Zalman to ask for a berachah and offered him a gold dinar. Rav Zalman refused. "Rebbe, I still have the change from the meal, and you have already clothed me and my household."

Rav Simcha Bunim answered: "One who gives tzedakah out of pity, because he cannot bear to see the poor man in such a state, has not truly fulfilled the mitzvah. He has done a kindness to himself and not to the poor man. That is not giving willingly with the heart (Shemos 25:2), but giving out of pity. Everything I gave you until now was because my pity was aroused and I could not bear to see you and your family in rags. But now that you are dressed in handsome new clothes, I am ready and willing to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah."