Avot329

15:
Having established the parameters of the mitzvah of tzedakah we can now turn our attention to our present mishnah. As we have already noted, it describes four types of people in connection with the giving of charity. (The present series of mishnayot are all based on the number 4, as we have noted several times.)

16:
The first type noted is the person who does give charity but does not want others to do so. Presumably, his motive in giving charity is not to fulfill the mitzvah per se, but to stand out in his milieu, to be noted as a great contributor. Such a person would never adopt the ideal set forth by Rambam of giving in secret. This person wants everyone to know that he has given, how much he has given, and – so that his donation will be all the more impressive – he prefers that no one else give at all!

17:
In his commentary on our present mishnah Rabbi Ovadya of Bertinoro offers a different understanding of what the Tanna is saying. He says that

The sages, in order to encourage people to be generous, assure us that if we are charitable with our money we shall, eventually, be rewarded with plenty. Rabbi Ovadya says that the first type in our mishnah does not want others to become rich even though he wants to become richer himself.

18:
Rabbi Ovadya possibly feels that his explanation is rather weak. Be that as it may, he offers another explanation as well, somewhat kinder in its implications:

There are, of course, those who will raise an eyebrow at such an interpretation.

19:
The next type is the reverse of the first type. He sets such value on his own money that he cannot bring himself to part with any of it. But he recognizes that the mitzvah must be performed – but let it be performed by others using their money. Judaism does not recognize the right of any person to be so parsimonious with what is in their possession. The first verse of Psalm 24 reminds us that

And when God introduces Himself to the Israelites [Exodus 19:5] He informs them that

Judaism teaches that since everything belongs to God we are, as it were, only caretakers of what we have in our possession, and God may certainly re-distribute His property at will. (That is why pious Jews to this day write in their books that

"The earth is God's and all that it holds" and this book is in the keeping of …

20:
The saint and the sinner mentioned in our mishnah are, of course, self-explanatory.

Before we leave this mishnah I would like to comment on one word in the translation. One person was concerned at my using the adjective "niggardly" as possibly being insulting to black people. The etymology of the word "niggardly" has nothing whatsoever to do with the colour 'black'. One dictionary that I consulted gives its etymology as follows:

Origin: 1325-1375; Middle English nyggard which derives from the Scandinavian nygg, stingy.

I am very liberal in my views, but I draw the line at letting mistaken PC impoverish the English language.