Barya's Having a Baby!
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.

This morning, despite extra Rosh Chodesh (new moon) prayers, I had a few free minutes before work (I was -- *gasp* -- early!), so I called up Barya in Bat Ayin. Always a joy to talk to Barya. Dina Rayzl's due date was yesterday, so IY"H they're going to have a baby practically any second now!

That all seems to have Barya in a pretty happy, thankful mood, so he was talking about how the RaMBaM holds the highest form of tzedakah (charitable giving, more or less) to be where the beneficiary, rather than being given the fish, is given the means (knowledge, tools, a loan, whatever) to catch his own fish, yet he doesn't know his benefactor's identity and neither does his benefactor know his identity. And yet G!d's tzedakah is to give us life itself, which is in the most profound way the means to catch our own fish, but we know our benefactor and, in Barya's ecstatic words, "that's the whole point!" We know our Benefactor, so we can celebrate, sing praises, revel in the giving of the Gift.

I asked, "But if we are of G!d's image, then why would the RaMBaM not have us aspire to that holiest level of gift-giving?" In other words, why must we as benefactors remain anonymous? The most immediately obvious answer to me was that any gift I have to give is actually G!d's gift anyway, so why have my name on it? Barya's answer was, "I think maybe we give that kind of gift as parents." I chucked that it seemed he would find out soon enough! He laughed, "yeah, I'll tell you tomorrow!"

In retrospect, I think a better answer in this case would be to correct the question. As far as I recall (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken), RaMBaM actually doesn't require anonymity in the highest level of tzedakah. The second-highest level is where an anonymous benefactor gives a fish to an anonymous beneficiary. The highest level is just straight up teaching the guy to fish. Perhaps RaMBaM is in fact suggesting the exact same as Barya: G!d, by putting air in our lungs each day, models for us the highest form of gift-giving, which is to empower the vulnerable to strength and self-possession, such that there is no shame in the transaction, and the need for anonymity is replaced with the need to celebrate.

Mazal tov!

(cross-posted to Mishkaneer)


ps. When I visited Barya and Dina Rayzl in the winter, I also took this picture but didn't post it. Now I guess it's safe to do so. :)