Moses ben Maimon, who is more commonly known as Maimonides (1135-1204), was a Jewish philosopher-physician-astronomer-rabbi who greatly influenced the thinking and doctrine of not only his own religion but of Christian and Islamic thinking as well. In his writings on the ladder of charity, Maimonides describes eight ways to give, like eight rungs on a ladder, from bottom to top, from the least generous way to the most generous way. Maimonides’ ladder invites us to ponder on the kind of gifts that we give, the manner in which we give them, and of the motivation behind our giving.
For a number of years in this weekly message, I have written wrote about this remarkable man of the Middle Ages who taught about what he called The Golden Ladder of Charity. As we enter our society’s traditional season of giving and we begin to contemplate to who, what, and how to give, I feel it appropriate to revisit Maimonides’ advice on this subject:
THE FIRST and lowest rung on the Golden Ladder of Charity is to give – but with reluctance or regret. This is the gift of the hand but not of the heart.
THE SECOND is to give cheerfully, but not proportionately to the distress of the suffering.
THE THIRD is to give cheerfully and proportionately, but not until we are solicited.
THE FOURTH is to give cheerfully, proportionately, and even unsolicited; but to put it directly in the poor man’s hand, thereby exciting in him the painful emotion of shame.
THE FIFTH is to give charity in such a way that the distressed may receive the bounty and know their benefactor, without their being known to him. Such was the conduct of our ancestors, who used to tie up money in the hind-corners of their cloaks, so that the poor might take it unperceived.
THE SIXTH which rises still higher, is to know the objects of our bounty, but remain unknown to them. Such was the conduct of those of our ancestors who used to convey their charitable gifts into people’s dwellings, taking care that their own person should remain unknown.
THE SEVENTH is still more meritorious; namely, to bestow charity in such a way that the benefactor may not know the relieved persons, nor they the name of their benefactor.
THE EIGHTH and most meritorious of all is to anticipate charity by preventing poverty; namely, to assist the reduced brother either by a considerable gift, or a loan of money, or by teaching him a trade, or by putting him in the way of business, so that he may earn an honest livelihood and not be forced to the dreadful alternative of holding out his hand for charity. This is the highest step and the summit of charity’s Golden Ladder.
How many of the eight ladders of giving have you been able to climb? If you’re like me, you most likely find it more difficult to recount the higher you climb the rungs of the ladder.
As we enter this year’s season of “giving” here’s a challenge for us all. In addition to our regular seasonal giving plan, or in place of it, let’s make an effort to climb the ladder all the way to the top, paying special attention to rungs six, seven and eight. To succeed our effort may have to extend beyond Thanksgiving and even Christmas, but gracious giving requires no special season, just as it does not demand special talent or large sums of money.
True giving simply requires the joining of our head and heart into a conjoined search for, and melding with, the sacredness that lies within us all.
When we give, we should endeavor to give in the best way but, we should give regardless…
[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people should see them; otherwise, you will have no recompence from your Heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. –Matthew, 6:1-4
William “Bill” Bacque