As opposed to all other mitzvot, which involve only certain aspects of a person, the mitzva of giving charity involves one’s entire being. In order to earn money a person uses all of himself, and with the money he earns he is able to buy all of his needs. Therefore, charity elevates the entire person. There is an additional advantage to the mitzva of giving charity – that each and every act of giving charity adds to the refinement of a person’s soul and strengthens his divine life force.

Giving charity involves one’s entire being:

Charity is the principal mitzva [performed with bodily] action, and it surpasses all others. For all mitzvot are only intended to elevate the vital soul of the person toward God, since it is that vital soul which performs the mitzvot and “clothes itself” in them, thereby merging with the light of the Infinite One, blessed be He, which permeates them. You can find no mitzva in which the vital soul is more invested than the mitzva of charity. In all other mitzvot, only one faculty of the vital soul is invested, and then only at the time of the particular mitzva. However, with the mitzva of charity, a person gives money earned through his efforts, and all faculties of his vital soul were invested in doing his work or other activity through which he earned this money. When he gives that money to charity, his vital soul in its entirety is elevated to God. Even someone who does not earn a living through his own labor is nevertheless giving his soul’s sustenance to God with his charity, since he could have used that money to purchase sustenance for his vital soul.

The more times one gives charity, the more the soul becomes refined, which in turn strengthens the life force of the Divine Presence:

Indeed, we have also found concerning the mitzva of charity that it is particularly beneficial – indeed, incomparably great – to perform the act of giving many times. The more times one gives, the better, as opposed to [giving a larger sum] once, even if the total amount is the same. This is in accordance with the Rambam’s commentary on the Mishna, in which our Sages taught, “And everything is [judged] according to the amount of action” (Avot 3:15). Apart from the Rambam’s clear explanation that the reason for giving many times is to refine the soul through multiple actions, Scripture [also] gives a [different explanation in the] verses, “The act of…charity brings life” (Proverbs 10:16, 11:19). This means that the spiritual effect and mystical properties of giving charity draw supernal life from the infinite Source of life, blessed be He, down to the “land of life,” which is the Shekhina (Divine Presence) which gives us strength. Regarding this the verse states, “You sustain them all” (Nehemia 9:6). (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Tanya, Likutei Amarim, chap. 37; Igeret HaKodesh 21)

They once asked Reb Anshel Rothschild of Frankfurt, the founder of the Rothschild dynasty, what his net worth was. Reb Anshel quoted a figure that seemed lower than expected, given the scope of his business and his possessions.

Holding on to [and strengthening] the character trait of kindness is the reason for performing all of the mitzvot. Once [the urge to perform acts of] kindness is deeply rooted within a person he will not transgress any mitzva, so that no evil should come to the world through his actions. (Rabbi Eliyahu HaKohen, Shevet Musar, chap. 30)

The main focus of our service of God in these times leading up to the coming of the messiah must be the service of giving charity, as the Sages of blessed memory stated, “The Jewish people will be redeemed only through charity.” (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Igeret HaKodesh 9)

Through charity – and it is obvious that spiritual charity is included in this – a person’s brain and heart become refined a thousand-fold…. This is not an exaggeration but a simple [truth]. What through normal service of God would take a thousand hours to achieve and succeed in, one can accomplish through one hour of involvement in giving charity. (Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel Schneerson, Igrot Kodesh 6:1564)