Community and shul leaders wanted to find out why there was such a great decline in donations. They discovered that the lost donations were all linked to one anonymous source. A thorough search determined that the anonymous source was the rich man who was known to be so stingy. This story was told to me by a Chasidic Rabbi. I don't know if the story is true but I know the purpose behind telling the story. Rabbi Maimonides who lived from 1135 through 1204 CE named eight levels of Tzedakah. Many people translate the word Tzedakah as charity. But the root of the word Tzedakah, Tzade-Dalet-Kuf, means righteous, justice or fairness. Giving to those in need is not just a generous act but it is an act of justice and righteousness. It is a duty.
Getting back to our rich man...he followed Maimonides's second highest level of Tzedakah...to give in such a way that the recipient and the giver are unknown to each other. In his eight levels of Tzedakah, Maimonides shows us how we can elevate giving to others to a higher spiritual level. Maimonides wrote about the importance of Tzedakah..."We are obligated to be more scrupulous in fulfilling the commandment of tzedakah than any other positive commandment because tzedakah is the sign of a righteous person."
Tzedakah is not only used to fulfill physical requirements of the needy but it can also be used to lift others spiritual and psychological well being. Maimonides wrote, "If a poor person requests money from you, and you have nothing to give him, speak to him consolingly." There is a story of a beggar who asked a man for money. The man had no money to give to the beggar, so he said to the beggar, "Brother, I have nothing to give you.? The beggar thanked the man. The man asked, "Why did you thank me? I have given you nothing? " The beggar responded, "You called me brother." Tzedakah, if done properly, preserves the dignity of the person on the receiving end. Maimonides eight levels of tzedakah are In ascending order....
1. One who gives unwillingly but nevertheless, gives.
2. One who gives cheerfully, but not enough.
3. One who gives enough, but not until he is asked.
4. One who gives before being asked.
5.The receiver knows the identity of the giver, but the giver does not know the identify of the receiver.
6.The giver knows the identity of the receiver, but the receiver does not know the identify of the giver.
7.The giver does not know the receiver, nor does the receiver know the giver.
8. The highest form of tzedakah is to strengthen the hand of the poor, by extending a loan, joining in partnership, or training the poor person out of poverty, to help the poor establish themselves.
One last thought on Tzedakah from Elie Wiessel...
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. The opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. Because of indifference, one dies before one actually dies before they die.
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