Tag Archives: tzedakah

Review of first 100 mitzvahs

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I had wanted to review the mitzvahs to see how many of them actually cost money (a donation or tzedakah) and how many were just my time. I also tried to calculate how many took under 5 minutes of time.

So after reviewing the first 104 mitzvahs, here are the results. Only 24 of them actually involved money, 80 of them were just my time.

One fourth of the 80 (20) of them took 5 minutes or less. I guess my point in this was to show that mitzvahs are mostly just using your time and often they take just a few minutes. So really there it should be possible for everyone to be able to participate in doing more mitzvahs. I also realized that while reviewing the list some of the things I am now counting (writing a condolence card) I hadn’t counted at the beginning of my project. I guess as the project progresses I am evolving too.

If you have other thoughts about quick and easy mitzvahs let me know. Do you think a smile or a hug is a mitzvah? I am still up in the air about this one. I guess because I am a smiley person so this seems too easy.
Okay, now a few mitzahs to report.

105) Helping my children give tzedakah last night.

106) Donations to Goodwill.

107) Hazardous waste to our traveling recycling plant.

Is it a mitzvah or not?

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I am finding that almost every time doing a mitzvah makes me feel really good. I am grateful for the opportunity.

51 & 52) Yesterday, I visited with the Rebbetzin. We had some time to have tea and toast and she asked if I could take the Rabbi to have some blood work done. What an honor to be able to do this mitzvah. I had 1/2 hour with the Rabbi and we were able to talk about several subjects. It seems like such a little thing really and yet since the Rabbi and Rebbetzin aren’t able to drive right now a trip around the corner to the doctors office is definitely a big deal. I know I enjoyed this mitzvah immensely.

53) In the end, I am calling this next event a mitzvah but it did create some discussion in our family last night. I will explain the situation and our discussion about it. In the afternoon, my son and I were driving to get my daughter after a class. On the way, we saw a dog running loose in the streets in a very busy urban part of downtown. Several people were outside of a coffee place when we first saw him. Since I was in the car, I was able to follow him down many streets and through at least two parking lots. I was even able to stop twice and call to him but he just kept running. He was wearing tags so I guessed he had just gotten loose. In the end, he got away from us and we weren’t able to get him back to his owner. I had no idea if he was safe in the end.

At dinner that night, my son and I told the story. We were split on a decision as to whether if you intend to help someone or something by doing a mitzvah but aren’t able to complete it if you have still performed the mitzvah. Any thoughts on the subject?

54) This morning, my son woke me up very early (6am) as a mom I have heard so many times that time passes so quickly so after a few minutes of being irritated I decided that I should enjoy our snuggle time since soon my son will be bigger and likely won’t want to snuggle as much. In the end, we decided that he would like to come with me today to my morning services at synagogue at 7am. There are several special days a week to attend and today was one of them. At synagogue, Solomon put some money in the tzedakah (charity) box and was asked to have an honor and open the doors of the Ark that holds the Torah. After that he said well isn’t that enough mitzvahs for today? I think his mitzvah was getting up early,  joining me for services and participating so well for a 6 year old.

55) Picked up items for the school auction.

Small things

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It was a busy weekend filled with activities around a sleepover birthday party for Gabrielle, my 9 year old daughter. Performed at least a couple of small mitzvahs.

7) Invited a family whose daughter is one of Gabrielle’s friends over for a Shabbat dinner. They aren’t Jewish but were happy to participate and share the meal with us.

8) Arranged a ride home for our babysitter who had taken the bus to give Gabrielle a birthday present.

9) Gave our guest pool towels to strangers at the pool and went back to get some additional ones for our family.

Finally, I think this one needs a bit of a discussion.

10) I have begun attending morning services as often as I can to say the mourners prayer for my dad. When I attend I always leave $1 in the tzedakah “charity” can. Today, I was particularly grateful I had gotten a full night sleep and was given an aliyah (honor) to the Torah. I didn’t have any change or even a $1 bill I only had a $20. I decided that rather than leave nothing today I would leave the $20. It felt wonderful and I was even kind of giddy when I was leaving. I have learned that the highest form of charity is one given anonymously and received anonymously and I believe that is incredibly true.