Happy Hanukkah!

    The Jewish Festival of Lights begins this time of year and has a marvelous tradition of giving, known as tzedakah. When translated into English, tzedakah means charity-giving to those in need. Derived from the Hebrew word tzade-dalet-qof, meaning righteous or fair, this practice of giving is both a generous act and a just one in the Jewish religion. In Jewish literature, the sages have said that this performance of duty is equal to all other commandments combined. Tzedakah is what grants us forgiveness for our sins.

    Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered to be of greater merit than others. Maimonides organized the different tzedakah into a hierarchical list. From the least to the most meritorious, they are:

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, but giving cheerfully

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you are unaware of the recipient's identity, but the recipient is aware of yours

Giving when you are aware of the recipient's identity, yet you remain anonymous

Giving when neither party is aware of the other's identity

Enabling the recipient to become self reliant