The Alter Rebbe explains an apparent contradiction:
- Tzedakah is one of the pillars of the world.
- The world itself is built on kindness:
“Olam chesed yibaneh” (“The world is built through kindness”).
Yet despite its greatness, halachah sets limits on how much a person should give.
- Most Mitzvot Have Exact Measurements
The Alter Rebbe lists examples:
- Tzitzit require a minimum length.
- Tefillin must have specific dimensions.
- A lulav must have a minimum height.
- A sukkah must meet minimum measurements.
- A mikvah requires forty se’ah.
- Korbanot had specific age requirements.
This teaches that Torah mitzvot are generally expressed through precise boundaries.
- Tzedakah Also Has a Measure
Although tzedakah is extraordinarily important, it too has halachic guidelines:
- One-fifth (20%) is the ideal level (middah min hamuvchar).
- One-tenth (10%) is the standard level (middah beinonit).
The Alter Rebbe’s point is that tzedakah is not meant to be completely unlimited in ordinary circumstances.
- Why Are There Limits?
Because mitzvot come into this world through Gevurah and tzimtzum (limitation and measured expression).
Hashem’s light is infinite, but the world is finite.
Therefore the Torah channels Divine service into measured forms that human beings can practically fulfill.
- “Chesed Olam”
The Alter Rebbe calls this level:
“Chesed Olam” (worldly or bounded kindness).
This means Divine kindness as it operates within the framework of creation.
It is still Hashem’s kindness, but expressed according to the limits of the created world.
- The World Itself Is Measured
The Alter Rebbe notes that creation is built with boundaries:
- Space has limits.
- Time has limits.
- The world exists within a defined structure.
Since the world itself is finite, the mitzvot that elevate the world are generally given with defined measures as well.
Key Takeaway
The straightforward message is:
Even tzedakah, one of the greatest mitzvot, is usually performed within the measured framework established by the Torah. Just as other mitzvot have precise requirements, charity too has halachic guidelines because Hashem’s infinite kindness is expressed within a finite and ordered world.