What are the 8 Levels of Charity in Mishneh Torah?
When Moses Maimonides (also known as the Rambam) became the spiritual leader of the Jewish community of Egypt, he proposed a radical idea: to write a concise summary of the entire Oral Law, which would encompass all of Jewish law. This fourteen-part opus, known both as HaYad Hachazaka and, more popularly, as Mishneh Torah, became the basis for most halachic rulings up until today.
In chapter 10 of the Laws of Gifts to the Poor (Hilchot Matnot Aniyim) in the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides delineated 8 levels of charity, “each one greater than the other.” All forms of tzedakah are a great mitzvah, but there is a ladder of giving from least ideal to most. What differentiates each level is the manner of giving and the impact on the recipient’s dignity.
Maimonides 8 Levels of Giving: Why tzedakah levels are ranked
In modern parlance, we equate tzedakah with charity, but the root of the Hebrew word – tzedek – also means “justice” or “righteousness.” Tzedakah isn’t just about helping others; it is a stepping stone toward creating a more just and equitable society. The Mishneh Torah makes it clear that Jewish charity goes beyond simply handing over money and takes into account the preservation of the recipient’s dignity and independence as core values. For example, a person could donate $1,000 to two different people. The first donation prevents future dependence, while the second one does not. The first donation is halachically superior according to Maimonides’ 8 levels of giving, because it helps the beneficiaries regain the ability to support themselves with dignity.
The 8 Levels of Charity from Lowest to Highest
The Mishneh Torah’s 8 levels of charity begin with the most minimally acceptable form of giving and move upwards toward ideal, transformative giving. Individuals should, of course, aim for the highest form of tzedakah. Still, since this is not always feasible, they can move down the ladder and choose the maximum they can handle from a financial and logistical standpoint.
Levels 6-8 – Giving Only After Being Asked, Giving Less than you should, giving grudgingly
The lowest rungs on Maimonides’ 8 levels of tzedakah ladder are giving grudgingly, giving less than you should, and giving only after being asked. In these cases, the donor responds when approached for help but doesn’t initiate and may not give the full amount needed.
When Jewish charity organizations reach out in the context of a fundraising campaign and a person responds with a donation, this is extremely positive, but it does miss the proactive sensitivity to need. It’s even better to seek out the needy and donate to the poor in Israel, even before being asked.
Level 5 – Giving Before Being Asked
When a donor notices a need and gives on their own initiative, without waiting for a request, they demonstrate awareness, empathy, and readiness to help. This is the fifth level of the 8 levels of charity according to the Mishneh Torah. This level can be unlocked by researching Jewish charities involved in critical causes such as hunger relief, physical and emotional support for widows and orphans, medical equipment provision, and more.
Level 4 – Recipient Knows the Donor, Donor Does Not Know the Recipient
A charity recipient’s dignity is preserved when the beneficiary knows who gave, but the donor doesn’t know who received. The recipient is less likely to be embarrassed when running into the donor, since it’s clear that the donor is unaware of where the funds ended up. This is most easily accomplished by donating to a reputable tzedakah organization, which serves as an intermediary between the donor and the recipient.
Level 3 – Donor Knows the Recipient, Recipient Does Not Know the Donor
Level 3 of Maimonides’ 8 levels of tzedakah is a situation where the donor knows who is receiving the donation, but the beneficiary doesn’t know who donated. In the previous case, where the recipient knows the donor, there’s still some embarrassment and shame, but in this case, there is no cause for embarrassment at all. An example of giving in this manner is leaving a food basket on a family’s doorstep without ringing the doorbell.
Level 2 – Giving Where Neither Knows the Other
The Mishneh Torah deems this type of giving “a mitzvah for its own sake.” When the donor doesn’t know who is benefiting, he or she gives simply for the sake of doing good, with no expectation of appreciation or honor. The recipient is likewise in the dark and experiences no shame in receiving. Many Jewish charitable organizations embody this principle of the Mishneh Torah, collecting funds for causes rather than for specific individuals and allocating resources after the fact.
Level 1 – Helping Someone Become Self-Sufficient
The highest rung in Maimonides’ ladder of charity is that which goes beyond temporary relief and supports someone “before he falls and becomes needy” (Mishneh Torah Hilchot Matnot Aniyim 10:7). Based on the verse in Leviticus 25:35 – “that he shall live with you” – this type of tzedakah focuses on helping the beneficiaries become or stay self-sufficient, so that they do not need to rely on charity for their wellbeing.
As part of Colel Chabad’s mission since 1788, the organization embodies this form of giving through their widows and orphans charity and hunger relief efforts for families, empowering thousands across Israel to achieve dignity and self-reliance. Colel Chabad strengthens food security in Israel through programs like Pantry Packers Israel and helps orphans and disadvantaged children with its Jewish Big Brother Big Sister program. It encourages independence and self-reliance so that those on the precipice of need can stand on their own two feet and support themselves.
Supporting the Colel Chabad charity embodies the principles of the Mishneh Torah. Giving to Colel Chabad without being asked, where you don’t know who you’re giving to and they don’t know who donated, fulfills the earlier rungs on Maimonides’ ladder of charity. The fact that Colel Chabad is dedicated to preventing people from falling below the poverty line also fulfills the highest rung, where self-sufficiency is the ultimate goal.
FAQs: The 8 Levels of Giving
What are the 8 degrees of giving in Judaism?
In the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides listed 8 degrees of giving in Judaism, from the lowest form to the highest.
- Giving grudgingly
- Giving less than you should
- Giving only after being asked
- Giving before being asked
- Recipient knows the donor, but the donor doesn’t know the recipient
- Donor knows the recipient, recipient doesn’t know the donor
- The donor and the recipient are both anonymous
- Helping someone become self-sufficient
What is the highest form of charity in Judaism?
The highest form of charity in Judaism is helping a person become self-sufficient. According to Maimonides in the Mishneh Torah, the best way to give tzedakah is to support those who need a boost, enabling them to stand on their own two feet and create stability for themselves.
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