Editing Maimonides (section)

=== Righteousness and charity ===

Maimonides conceived of an eight-level hierarchy of [[tzedakah]], where the highest form is to give a gift, loan, or partnership that will result in the recipient becoming self-sufficient instead of living upon others. In his view, the lowest form of ''tzedakah'' is to give begrudgingly.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maimonides' Eight Levels of Charity |url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> The eight levels are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jtfn.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/maimonides_ladder_and_tzedakah_texts.pdf |title=Maimonides Eight Degrees of Tzedakah |work=Jewish Teen Funders Network |access-date=November 26, 2018 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123182720/http://www.jtfn.org/sites/default/files/docs/resources/maimonides_ladder_and_tzedakah_texts.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
# Giving begrudgingly
# Giving less than you should, but giving it cheerfully
# Giving after being asked
# Giving before being asked
# Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity
# Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity
# Giving when neither party knows the other's identity
# Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant