Abby Loves Maimonides!
To commemorate this holiday season and the coming new year, I want to bring to your attention the thoughts of the 12th century Jewish philosopher, Maimonides. At this time of gift-giving and charitable donating, you might find these thoughts interesting and useful. Maimonides puts forth eight levels of giving, from the least to the highest:
8. Giving grudgingly.
7. Giving less than one could or should, but willingly.
6. Giving directly to the poor upon being asked.
5. Giving directly to the poor without being asked.
4. Giving when the recipient knows who you are, but you don’t know the identity of the recipient.
3. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient is unaware who donated.
2. Giving when the donor and recipient are unknown to each other (through a third party).
1. Preventing people from becoming impoverished or lifting them out of poverty by providing a loan, or helping them establish a business, or find employment. This is similar to the ancient Chinese adage: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Abby wishes everyone the very best 2012 – good health and great happiness!
8. Giving grudgingly.
7. Giving less than one could or should, but willingly.
6. Giving directly to the poor upon being asked.
5. Giving directly to the poor without being asked.
4. Giving when the recipient knows who you are, but you don’t know the identity of the recipient.
3. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient is unaware who donated.
2. Giving when the donor and recipient are unknown to each other (through a third party).
1. Preventing people from becoming impoverished or lifting them out of poverty by providing a loan, or helping them establish a business, or find employment. This is similar to the ancient Chinese adage: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Abby wishes everyone the very best 2012 – good health and great happiness!
Posted by agingboomerchick at 12/27/2011 6:28 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Maimonides jewish giving charity philospher 2012
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Maimonides jewish giving charity philospher 2012
Come one and all to Kiva (www.kiva.org)and receive Maimonides' blessing for the next year.
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