I live in a very low income neighborhood. Most of the men either learn in Kollel [500 dollars a month?] or work in low paying professions such as Rabbeim. Many of the women work in such "lucrative" positions such as seamstresses and nursery teachers. Everybody has large and growing families. The expenses mount.
Yet - on Purim the money to the poor FLIES in tremendous abundance. It is unbelievable to watch. In addition, when the local shuls raise money for expansions, people give MAGNIFICENT sums. People also spend a lot on arba minnim, matzos, Shabbos food etc. etc. I am one of the gabboei tzdaka and I can testify that on a weekly basis people consistently donate. From my experience with people who have money I learned that most people don't want to give on a consistent basis. One shot and finished. But these poor people, with their mortgages and never ending personal expenses give with SUCH MAGNANIMITY.
It is not only my neighborhood. There are many such people - both rich, middle class and lower class - in Klal Yisrael who are unendingly generous with their money.
There is no other nation like ours.
מי כעמך ישראל!!!:-)
