The First Thing that Determines the Verdict

There is nothing more beneficial to a person to open the gates of Heaven and have their prayer heard than charity (Tzedakah).

Tzedakah – the acronym for [Elul / Elul themes]: Ish Lre'ehu Vematannot Le'evyonim ("a man to his neighbor and gifts to the needy"). This is the month of Elul.

Three things: Repentance (Teshuvah), Prayer (Tefillah), and Charity (Tzedakah).

This is Elul.

Also, the sign for the month of Elul comes from the final letters of the phrase: U'Tzedakah Tihyeh Lanu Ki ("And it shall be Tzedakah unto us when..."). {According to certain Kabbalistic interpretations, each of the12 Hebrew months is represented by a different combination of the Letters 'Yod', 'Hei', 'Vav' and 'Hei'. For Elul the combination is 'Hei', 'Hei', 'Vav', and 'Yod' spelled out by the final letters of the phrase mentioned above.}

That is where it originates. Therefore – charity saves from death!

Oho! Even from an unusual/unnatural death – charity saves.

What a great thing charity is. It is one of the greatest actions a person can perform.

When the Holy One, Blessed be He, sees that a person shows mercy to His creatures, He says: "I too will have mercy on him." He acts – "I too will act."

So a person should engage in repentance, prayer, and charity.

As we say: "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness (literally: Tzedakah)" – which has the gematria (numerical equivalence) of "and Abounding in kindness" (V'rav Chesed).

Rambam (Maimonides) writes – I will read Rambam's exact words to you: Among the paths of repentance, the penitent should constantly cry out before Hashem with weeping and supplications, and give charity according to his ability. That is what Rambam says.

{Summing up the Rambam:} To return in repentance to the Holy One, Blessed be He, to cry out loudly to the Holy One blessed be He, and giving charity according to one's ability.

He further writes: For this reason, the House of Israel has adopted the custom of increasing charity and good deeds.

Why, out of all 613 commandments (Taryag Mitzvot), was charity specifically chosen?

Rabbi Yitzchak said: Four things tear up a person's harsh decree. The first among them is charity, as it is written: "And charity delivers from death."