Giving

“The Golden Ladder of Giving” by Maimonides, a Jewish scholar of the twelfth century, includes the following eight steps: (1) To give reluctantly, the gift of the hand, but not of the heart. (2) To give cheerfully, but not in proportion to the need. (3) To give cheerfully, and proportionately, but not until solicited. (4) To give cheerfully, proportionately, and unsolicited, but to put the gift into the poor man’s hand, thus creating shame. (5) To give in such a way that the distressed may know their benefactor, without being known to him. (6) To know the objects of our bounty, but remain unknown to them. (7) To give so that the benefactor may not know those whom he has relieved, and they shall not know him. (8) To prevent poverty by teaching a trade, setting a man up in business, or in some other way preventing the need of charity. This is the highest step in charity’s Golden Ladder.