223. Committing Charity

34:9 Committing to give charity constitutes making a vow. If one designates a coin for charity, it should immediately be given to the poor. Delaying is a violation of a Biblical injunction (Deuteronomy 23:22). If there are no needy people around, the money must be aside for one. If one makes a pledge in shul, he does not violate the prohibition against delaying payment until the money is requested of him, then he must pay immediately. This is not the case if he knows for a fact that the shul does not need the money right now and just prefers to have it.

34:10 If one commits to give a certain sum to a particular person, he doesn’t violate the prohibition against delaying payment until that person arrives. A person can put money aside for charity so that he has it on-hand to distribute on an as-needed basis.