Question
Shalom,
a Jewish man, close to 70 years, has now for 10 years travelled from friend to acquaintance to friend, being observant when he lives on the costs of observant Jews as long as they can see him, being vulgar and secular and eating pork when he`s together with the non observant and living on their costs. He takes long, cold showers when he`s hosted by poor Jews in the Israeli desert, makes fun of the orthodox who have helped him and in his egotism does harm to everyone without even realizing.
Should this person still be hosted and helped when he`s in real need or not?
Answer
People with real need should be helped, those without – don't need.
Hosting a poor person in your home and attending his needs is a high level of Tzedakah; that is an investment that will prove itself worthwhile.
If you have limited financial resources and can support only a limited amount of needy people, you should prefer your family, then your close friends and neighbors.
If you need to choose between the different needy friends, chose those who deserve your help before others.
Those friends who abuse your good heart, deserve less.
