(ז) שְׁמוֹנֶה מַעֲלוֹת יֵשׁ בַּצְּדָקָה זוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִזּוֹ.
מַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה - שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה זֶה -הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּךְ וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַתָּנָה אוֹ הַלְוָאָה אוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ שֻׁתָּפוּת אוֹ מַמְצִיא לוֹ מְלָאכָה כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק אֶת יָדוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת לִשְׁאל.
וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כה לה) "וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ" כְּלוֹמַר הַחֲזֵק בּוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפּל וְיִצְטָרֵךְ:
(ח) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה הַנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים וְלֹא יָדַע לְמִי נָתַן וְלֹא יָדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. שֶׁהֲרֵי זוֹ מִצְוָה לִשְׁמָהּ.
כְּגוֹן לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. שֶׁהָיוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים נוֹתְנִין בָּהּ בַּחֲשַׁאי וְהָעֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי טוֹבִים מִתְפַּרְנְסִין מִמֶּנָּה בַּחֲשַׁאי. וְקָרוֹב לָזֶה הַנּוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וְלֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמְמֻנֶּה נֶאֱמָן וְחָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ לְהַנְהִיג כַּשּׁוּרָה כְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן:
(ט) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיֵּדַע הַנּוֹתֵן לְמִי יִתֵּן וְלֹא יֵדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. כְּגוֹן גְּדוֹלֵי הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהָיוּ הוֹלְכִין בַּסֵּתֶר וּמַשְׁלִיכִין הַמָּעוֹת בְּפִתְחֵי הָעֲנִיִּים. וְכָזֶה רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת וּמַעֲלָה טוֹבָה הִיא אִם אֵין הַמְמֻנִּין בִּצְדָקָה נוֹהֲגִין כַּשּׁוּרָה:
(י) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיֵּדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי נָטַל וְלֹא יֵדַע הַנּוֹתֵן. כְּגוֹן גְּדוֹלֵי הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהָיוּ צוֹרְרִים הַמָּעוֹת בִּסְדִינֵיהֶן וּמַפְשִׁילִין לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶן וּבָאִין הָעֲנִיִּים וְנוֹטְלִין כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶן בּוּשָׁה:
(יא) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ בְּיָדוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל:
(יב) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ אַחַר שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל:
(יג) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ פָּחוֹת מִן הָרָאוּי בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת:
(יד) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ בְּעֶצֶב:
(7) There are eight levels of charity, each above higher than the previous.
[#8] The highest level - and there's nothing higher than this - is strengthening the hand of a Jew who has fallen (into poverty) and giving him a gift or a loan, or entering into a partnership with him, or finding work for him to do, in order to strengthen his hand, so that he doesn't need to others for assistance.
The Torah says about this: "and you shall strengthen the hand of a stranger and a resident and he shall live with you;" (Leviticus 25:35), which means strengthening him so he doesn't fall into poverty and require assistance.
(8) [#7] Below that is giving charity to the poor without knowing to whom you're giving, and without the recipient knowing who gave - because this is a mitzvah for its own sake.
This is similar to the secret chamber in the Temple, where the righteous would secretly put money in, and the poor of good families would secretly support themselves. Almost at this level is the one that gives to the charity box. And a person should not give to the charity box, unless he knows that the one in charge of it is trustworthy and wise and knows how to manage it appropriately, like Rabbi Chananya Ben Taradyon.
(9) [#6] Below that is when the giver knows to whom he is giving, but the poor person does not know from whom he is taking. An example of this were the greatest of the Sages who would secretly go and put money in the doorways of the poor. And it is fitting to do like this. And this is a good level of charity when the charity managers are not behaving appropriately.
(10) [#5] Below that is when the poor person knows from whom he took charity but the giver does not know who he gave to. For instance, the greatest of the Sages who would bundle money in their sheets and lower them behind them and the poor would come and take, so that the poor would not be embarrassed.
(11) [#4] Below that is giving directly before being asked.
(12) [#3] Below that is giving directly after being asked.
(13) [#2] Below that is giving too little, but with kindness.
(14) [#1] Below that is giving sadly.