Matnos Laevyonim

Matanos La’evyonim

 

The Rambam tells us that it is better for a person leharbos, to increase, their matanos le’evyonim, gifts to the poor, than to increase the mishloach manos, gifts of food to their friends, and Seudas Purim, the festive Purim meal. It is recommended that a person make an accounting of how much they plan to spend on both mishloach manos and Seudas Purim, and give more than that amount to poor people. Although technically the mitzvah can be fulfilled by giving a very small amount of money to two people, the value of a prutah according to many opinions, which is approximately five cents, one prutah to each one; nevertheless in the spirit of the mitzvah, we should give much more. A person who makes unfortunate people happy is compared to the Shechina. A freilichen Purim! #250?1

https://halacha2go.com?number=250

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.