Maot Chitim — wheat money — is the ancient Pesach tradition of ensuring every Jew has enough for the holiday. Its modern applications are urgent.
The Holiday of Freedom and Obligation
Passover is the foundational Jewish narrative of liberation — the story of a people moving from slavery to freedom, from degradation to dignity. It is one of the most joyfully celebrated holidays on the Jewish calendar. It is also, in the halachic tradition, one of the most intensive tzedakah seasons of the year.
The relationship between Pesach and tzedakah is not incidental. It is structural. The story we tell at the seder begins with an invitation: "Ha lachma anya — this is the bread of affliction. Let all who are hungry come and eat." We do not begin the seder with our own liberation. We begin by opening the door to others.
Maot Chitim: Wheat Money