Wanted to Give Charity to a Poor Person Who Left
This question and answer were automatically translated using our trained AI and have not yet been reviewed by a qualified rabbi. Please treat this translation with caution.
go to original →
Question
Hello, if someone thought in their heart — but did not express verbally — to give charity to a specific poor person, such as seeing a poor person and wanting to give them charity, and now that poor person has left, can they give to another poor person?
Answer
Hello,
You can give to another poor person and there is no need for annulment of vows.
Source
In our times, one can rely on the declaration made on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, and then the thought of charity does not obligate at all. Even if one does not rely on the declaration (such as not having said it on the eve of Rosh Hashanah), still, this thought does not have the status of 'saying to the Most High as delivering to a commoner', and therefore one can give to another poor person. See in Machaneh Ephraim there.