Then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the nesek; and the Kohen shall quarantine the nesek for a second seven day period. (Leviticus 13:33)

וְהִתְגַּלָּח וְאֶת-הַנֶּתֶק, לֹא יְגַלֵּחַ; וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת-הַנֶּתֶק שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, שֵׁנִית. (וַיִּקְרָא יג:לג)

The Medrash tells us that the letter “gimel” in the word “וְהִתְגַּלָּח“ must be written larger than other letters (see Baal HaTurim). The Chidah brings an explanation that this word “vhisgaleach” is in the middle of the Torah (based on pasukim), and this “gimel” refers to giving tzedakah as in the words “gomel dalim”. The gemorah in Shabbos (104a) writes “גימ”ל דל”ת גמול דלים“ Why is this so? Because the gimel lifts its foot towards the dalim, for this is the way of a baal chesed, to run after the poor person.

The idea of tzedakah is central to the Torah and shakul – equal to – all the Torah, and this is why it was placed in the middle of the Torah. Negoim come through being stingy (tzaras ha’ayin) and therefore to reverse the process the Torah forces the stingy man to expose all of his wealth to others when he removes his property from his home before the Kohen enters to see the negah. Hopefully this experience will cause him to lose his stinginess and be a gomel dal (one who gives tzedakah to the poor) thus rectifying his negative disposition.

The Chidah explains the reason giving tzedakah is central to the Torah is because it brings a closeness of HKBH to klal Yisrael, just as learning Torah does. This is the reason that the eventual geula will be through tzedakah, as the pasuk says “Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness (charity).” (Isaiah 1:27)

“צִיּוֹן, בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה; וְשָׁבֶיהָ, בִּצְדָקָה” (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ כז)

As Pesach comes around, we have a special mitzvah of ma’os chitin. The Acharonim discuss whether this is a separate mitzvah, or if it is part of the regular obligation to help the poor at their time of need. Based on the Chidah, it seems to me, that as we live through yetzias mitzrayim, our initial redemption, we understand that this can be the catalyst of the ultimate redemption. Possibly Chazal introduced a special aspect of tzedakah in order to bring us that much closer to the geula—”v’shaveah b’tzedakah”

Pesach is the most expensive holiday of all the holidays of the year, and many people have expenses that are far above their normal means. The yetzer hara sees this and tells us that with all these expenses, now is NOT the time to give tzedakah. In truth if we understand that this is not only helping the poor person have a simchas hachag, but actually helps us become redeemed and connected to Hashem, as we are supposed to at this time, we will realize doing ourselves the ultimate favor. WE are the “dalim” to whom we are doing chesed. This will help us leave our own mitzrayim for the geula shelayma.