There are four different types of people in terms of how they relate to Tzedakah (charity). Number one is a person who wants to give personally, but does not want other people to give. This person has an evil eye with regard to others. He wants to give charity, but he does not want other people to give because he wants all the honor for himself, or because he knows that when a person gives charity, he is rewarded with riches, and he does not want other people to get rich. He only wants himself to have that type of benefit. So this person has an evil eye toward other people.
Number two is a person who wants other people to give charity, but does not want to give any charity personally. He has an evil eye with regard to himself. The term “evil eye” means something different here. We’re talking about someone who is overly concerned about his wealth. The evil eye here means that he is so focused on money that he is unable to give charity, even though he knows it is the right thing to do. That is why he wants other people to give.
Number three is someone who wants to give charity himself and also wants other people to contribute. This person is called a chasid, a pious person. He is concerned for the poor people: even after giving his own money, he wants other people to do so as well. So he really is thinking about them. It is not about him, and it is not about other people; it is really about helping the poor people as much as he can.
Lastly, someone who does not give any charity himself, nor does he want other people to give charity, is a wicked person. He is so cruel that he prefers to leave the poor people with no food and no support rather than have anybody help them. This person is evil, a wicked person.