Rambam in Peirush Hamishnayos (Avos 3:19) writes that if, for example, one has a thousand dollars to distribute to charity, it is better to give one hundred dollars to ten causes than to give one thousand dollars to a single cause. Rambam's rationale is that multiple acts of giving have a greater impact on the giver than a single act of giving, no matter how significant the single act of giving is.
Is the development of selflessness a selfish endeavor? Is it our own moral and spiritual benefit that we seek when we give to others, or is it the benefit of the recipient that we seek? What is our primary motivation, and what ought our primary motivation be?
The question is, what is it better for? Is it better because it creates greater heavenly reward? I think the answer lies in your wording of the question. You say that, according to the Rambam, it has a greater impact on the giver. It may be that spiritually it makes no difference how many people you give to with regards to the mitzvah of tzedakah. It is better to give to more people because it has a more profound impact on the giver in terms of personality improvement. The end result is that the mitzvah of tzedakah done according to the direction of the Rambam has a more powerful positive impact on both the giver and the receiver.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you assume that the Rambam's directive results in a greater impact on the receiver? Rambam makes no mention of the receiver at all, implying that the consideration of the impact on the receiver is not important, and it is only the impact on the giver that counts.
ReplyDeletei think one has to be careful when reading the rambam, both in his commentary of avot (which is the source of the discussion) and at the end of the moreh with respect to his views on the habituation of a midah or inclination or tendency and the later result of having the tendency, etc. for example, in the commentary on avot his wording is something like:
ReplyDeleteif a person gives someone who needs it a thousand dinar, one time to one person, he will not achieve a temperament of generosity from this one great act in the same way as the achievement of someone that donates a thousand times in a thousand dinar, and gives each dinar out of generosity; according to repeating the act of generosity a thousand times he will achieve a strong acquisition, and the [giving] once only will awaken the soul with a great awakening to a good act, and then it will stop.
Here the key is in giving with a specific intent to reinforce the continual giving, it can't be seen in the cumulative of action but rather in the development of a lifestyle. similarly, at the end of the moreh, the moral perfection which then can allow for intellectual perfection results in a person's ability to act with chesed, etc. it is not the moral perfection but the imitatio dei that is the true goal. so while we can talk about the benefit of the receiver and the giver, the true discussion relates to the change in perspective and the positive results for everyone, and not the reward accrued through the training...
It would seem that the essential question being posed is what is the essence of the mitzvah of Tzedekah, is it a commandment for the benefit of the poor or is it a means of developing the trait of being generous. If the former is true, whatever has the greatest impact of the recipient should take precedence. However if the latter, charity is but a vehicle for achieving moral perfection.
ReplyDeleteEven assuming Ira's formulation, the motive of realizing imitatio dei, is also "selfish" in nature. Though the actualization of imitation dei is complete selflessness, the motive to achieve this result is the focus on self; how can I develop the closest relationship to God. By the Rambam's advocating the focus on the giver, he is clearly assuming that the nature of the mitzvah of tzedeka is of one's own spiritual growth.