#72 - Send an anonymous donation (81/101).

There is a teaching in Judaism by the scholar Maimonides about the eight rungs of the giving ladder. I grew up learning the importance of giving tzedakah, or charity, and have learned the importance about the Maimonides giving ladder as well. It says the highest form of giving is giving in order to enable an individual to be self-reliant and that giving anonymously is more important than giving with your name/identity attached to the gift. Here is the full ladder:

1. The lowest: Giving begrudgingly and making the recipient feel disgraced or embarrassed.
2. Giving cheerfully but giving too little.
3. Giving cheerfully and adequately but only after being asked.
4. Giving before being asked.
5. Giving when you do not know who is the individual benefiting, but the recipient knows your identity.
6. Giving when you know who is the individual benefiting, but the recipient does not know your identity.
7. Giving when neither the donor nor the recipient is aware of the other's identity.
8. The Highest: Giving money, a loan, your time or whatever else it takes to enable an individual to be self-reliant.

I completed #72 - Send an anonymous donation, at some point in the last week. I don't want to share many more details because of the nature of the giving ladder. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday and the season of giving, I hope you all give at some point during this season.