Dear ones, in these troubled times we sometimes tend to walk with blinkers. We are unaware of the grief which the countries at war are experiencing. What can we do to alleviate this misery and anguish? We can start by helping people who are in distress in our respective places. We can volunteer and we can fund raise for war torn countries.
Maimonides, an ancient Hebrew scholar, has spoken about eight levels of charity of how we can help. He was a Seraphic Rabbi and philosopher in the Middle Ages. He believed that the highest form of giving was helping someone to achieve self-sufficiency. He stated that teaching a trade was better than providing temporary relief.
He described eight levels of charity, with the highest being when the recipient was not ashamed and the donor helped the recipient to become self-reliant. He also emphasized the importance of anonymous giving to the extent possible, viewing it as an act of true generosity.
- Giving unwillingly.
- Giving inadequately without a smile.
- Giving after being asked.
- Giving before being asked.
- Giving without the recipient knowing the donor.
- Giving when the donor knows the recipient but the recipient does not know the donor.
- Giving when the recipient becomes self-sufficient.
- Giving to help a man help himself is considered the highest form of charity.
I came across this concept of giving today and I wanted to share it with you. It is so simple and all we have to do is to be empathetic and give happily. We can volunteer and offer our services, where needed. A couple of hours a week, will make you feel good and the people you help enabled.
Aim Hrim Klim
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash