A person who refrains from bestowing kindness to a poor person inevitably goes down to Gehenna, as our Sages said (Beitzah 32b) regarding certain wealthy people who were among those who went down to Gehenna because they refused to extend tzedakah and kindness to ohers. Our Sages further said that the mitzvah of tzedakah should never be underestimated, for its neglect causes twenty-four curses and its fulfillment twenty-four blessings. Moreover, refraining from giving tzedakah leads to Hashem revoking his peace from the Jewish People, as it is written, for I have revoked My peace and kindness and mercy from this people – the word of Hashem (Yirmiyahu 16:5); “kindness” refers to acts of kindness and “mercy” refers to charity which the people had been accustomed to giving but then ceased.
