רמבם משנה תורה הִלְכּוֹת מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים ז:יג
עָנִי שְׁהוּא קְרוֹבוֹ, קוֹדֵם לְכָל אָדָם; וַעֲנִיֵּי בֵּיתוֹ, קוֹדְמִין לַעֲנִיֵּי עִירוֹ; וַעֲנִיֵּי עִירוֹ, קוֹדְמִין לַעֲנִיֵּי עִיר אַחֶרֶת: שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר "לְאָחִיךָ לַעֲנִיֶּךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ, בְּאַרְצֶךָ" (דברים טו,יא).
A poor relative takes precedence over all men; the poor of his household before the poor of his city; the poor of his town before the poor of another town; as it says: ‘to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy in your land' (Deuteronomy 15:11)
Suggested Discussion Questions:
When lending money who takes priority?
What might be a good reason to focus most on the needs of those closest to you?
What might be problematic about this order for prioritizing how we give?
Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)