On special occasions, we tend to feel happy and excited, which can lead us to become generous. This can extend to our becoming more understanding, more forgiving, and sometimes even more willing to part with our money. This is why people generally spend more on gifts and other expenses while on vacation or on special occasions. We simply become more charitable.
Why is this so?
Let’s look at the Torah for some insight.
In the middle of this week’s Torah portion, Emor, the holidays are described, along with a description of what offerings are to be brought for each of the different holidays.
For Shavuot, we bring an offering of new wheat from that which has grown in the fields. The Torah then takes a “break” from the details regarding the holiday, and reminds us of the law that when we glean, we are to leave behind wheat in the field for the poor.
Why does the Torah get sidetracked?
You see, at times of such great highs, it is possible to forget about the poor and the downtrodden. Even though we are more in the mood to be generous, we typically reserve that attitude for those who are near and dear to us, and forget about the poor. The Torah teaches us that we should not forget about the poor.
How is it possible that at the same time as we are being so kind to one person, we can totally ignore another?
The best way for me to explain this is to make a distinction between the two kinds of charity one can give. Most often when we give money (or goods), what we give is our own. We work hard, we earn it—it is ours and yet we decide to give it away. However, there is an even greater kind of giving that is harder to do: when we give even before the money becomes ours, such as giving a percentage of our expected business revenue as a contribution, even before the money enters our hands.
The reason why this is a greater mitzvah is because there is less satisfaction. After all, giving charity feels good—even if it hurts our bank account. However, if the money never even physically enters into our possession because we donated it before we banked it, there is almost no satisfaction in “giving” it. This kind of egoless giving is truly the highest level of contributing.
The same is true when a holiday comes around. We are already giving away so much, we might want to hold back and not give the “gleanings of our field” (donations that are given even before they enter into our possession). The Torah teaches us that, no, this is exactly the time to be doing so, even more so than on a regular day. Poor people need to celebrate as well. But it is more than that—if you really want to celebrate, you have to be able to give at the highest levels possible. Give, but without the ego.
This is the essence of the famous saying to “Help your neighbors first.”