CHARITABLE GIVING

Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) was Jewish rabbi, physician and philosopher. He was a brilliant polymath. He conceived of an eight-level hierarchy of tzedakah (charitable giving), where the highest form is to give a gift, loan, or partnership that will result in the recipient becoming self-sufficient instead of living upon others. In his view, the lowest form of tzedakah (charitable giving) is to give begrudgingly.
(From on ‘Righteousness and Charity’)

The Eight Levels are:

1. Giving begrudgingly
2. Giving less than you should, but giving it cheerfully
3. Giving after being asked
4. Giving before you are asked
5. Giving when you do not know the recipient’s
identity, but the recipient knows your identity
6. Giving when you know the recipient’s identity, but
the recipient does not know your identity
7. Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity
8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant

“Whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth; they have their reward! But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” Jesus