--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor…" description: "\"“Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me something that he was told by a rabbi about the eight degrees of giving in Judaism. The seventh deg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/jay-z-713_generosity_lyor-cohen-who-i-consider-my-mentor-once_2353631.png" --- # Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me… ![“Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me something that he was told by a rabbi about the eight degrees of giving in Judaism. The seventh degree is giving anonymously, so you don't know who you're giving to, and the person on the receiving end doesn't know who gave. The value of that is…” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/jay-z-713_generosity_lyor-cohen-who-i-consider-my-mentor-once_2353631.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/jay-z-713_generosity_lyor-cohen-who-i-consider-my-mentor-once_2353631.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/jay-z-713_generosity_lyor-cohen-who-i-consider-my-mentor-once_2353631.png) > ““Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me something that he was told by a rabbi about the eight degrees of giving in Judaism. The seventh degree is giving anonymously, so you don't know who you're giving to, and the person on the receiving end doesn't know who gave. The value of that is that the person receiving doesn't have to feel some kind of obligation to the giver and the person giving isn't doing it with an ulterior motive. It's a way of putting the giver and receiver on the same level. It's a tough ideal to reach out for, but it does take away some of the patronizing and showboating that can go on with philanthropy in a capitalist system. The highest level of giving, the eight, is giving in a way that makes the receiver self-sufficient.”” [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anonymous giving removes expectations, creating equality between giver and receiver, while ultimate self‑sufficiency aims to empower the recipient fully. **In simple terms:** Giving without recognition levels power; ultimate goal is recipient independence. Key Takeaway Give without seeking credit; aim to empower others. Themes eity humility philanthropy empowerment Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - non‑profits - community aid - personal mentorship - corporate CSR Key Concepts Altruism social equality self‑sufficiency Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your giving truly empowers? - What barriers prevent true self‑sufficiency? A Different Perspective Anonymous giving may still be perceived as strategic if not transparent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Ulterior motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ulterior-motive/) ## Related quotes > [A disciple does not ask, "How much can I keep?" but, "How much more can I give?" Whenever we start to get comfortable with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/a-disciple-does-not-ask-how-much-can-i-keep-but-how-much-more-can-i/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [The fans know that I have been giving it my all and that we had the good judgment to when to say when.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-rahal/the-fans-know-that-i-have-been-giving-it-my-all-and-that-we-had-the/) [Bobby Rahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-rahal/) > [One can know nothing of giving aught that is worthy to give unless one also knows how to take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/one-can-know-nothing-of-giving-aught-that-is-worthy-to-give-unless/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There's another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday. The idea is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/you-may-have-heard-of-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-there-s-another/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“If you can't see a benefit of the challenges in the present, know that you're giving a present to your future." —Bright Side Up:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-see-a-benefit-of-the-challenges-in-the-present-know-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Newcastle fans need to know is that I will be giving everything for their cause now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/all-newcastle-fans-need-to-know-is-that-i-will-be-giving-everything/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [ I know that if I feel any deprivation or fear \[about money\], the solution is to give. The solution is to go find some… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-know-that-if-i-feel-any-deprivation-or-fear-about-money-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [There comes a point in time when you must know that everything you have already given or done is enough. This is not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/there-comes-a-point-in-time-when-you-must-know-that-everything-you/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [You know, we should not be giving cash to people who basically are just going to blow it on drugsand not take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/you-know-we-should-not-be-giving-cash-to-people-who-basically-are/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [I was gifted at birth with this talent, and I've tried to honor it all my life. And I did - through hell and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/i-was-gifted-at-birth-with-this-talent-and-i-ve-tried-to-honor-it-all/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [How can I give love when I don't know what it is I'm giving?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/how-can-i-give-love-when-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-i-m-giving/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Life is not about giving up or giving in. Life is about giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-d-williams/life-is-not-about-giving-up-or-giving-in-life-is-about-giving/) [Anthony D. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-d-williams/) > [Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/generosity-lies-less-in-giving-much-than-in-giving-at-the-right-moment/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [It can be much harder to be on the receiving end of a transaction than to be the one who gets to give. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/it-can-be-much-harder-to-be-on-the-receiving-end-of-a-transaction/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [The ultimate expression of generosity is not in giving of what you have, but in giving of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/the-ultimate-expression-of-generosity-is-not-in-giving-of-what-you/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) ## More by Jay-Z > [At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/at-42-be-better-than-24-i-carried-the-4-5-mastered-48-laws/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Wherever I go, I bring the culture with me, so that they can understand that it's attainable. I didn't do it any other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/wherever-i-go-i-bring-the-culture-with-me-so-that-they-can-understand/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Everyone who makes music is a good collaborator at their foundation because in order to make music, you have to connect to it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/everyone-who-makes-music-is-a-good-collaborator-at-their-foundation/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [New York - I'm connected. This is my core. I feel like if I'm not connected to New York, then I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/new-york-i-m-connected-this-is-my-core-i-feel-like-if-i-m-not/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I'm a person that works off of music. I let the music dictate the direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-a-person-that-works-off-of-music-i-let-the-music-dictate-the/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Tears on the mauseoleum floor. Blood stains the coliseum doors. Lies on the lips of a priest. Thanksgiving disguised as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/tears-on-the-mauseoleum-floor-blood-stains-the-coliseum-doors-lies-on/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Around 20. I'd been trying to transition from the streets to the music business, but I would make demos and then quit for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/around-20-i-d-been-trying-to-transition-from-the-streets-to-the-music/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work-all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/there-s-the-gift-there-s-the-spirit-and-there-s-the-work-all-three/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [All black everything, Ni\*\*a you know my fresh code. Im out here fightin for you, dont increase my stress load.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-black-everything-ni-a-you-know-my-fresh-code-im-out-here-fightin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I couldn't even think about wanting to be something else; I wouldn't let myself visualize another life. But I wrote because I couldn't stop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-couldn-t-even-think-about-wanting-to-be-something-else-i-wouldn-t/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Lord forgive me I never would've made it without sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/lord-forgive-me-i-never-would-ve-made-it-without-sin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [In trouble waters I had to learn how to float](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/in-trouble-waters-i-had-to-learn-how-to-float/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Their gunnin' for me, want to see me fall, you know my story, been through it all, times I felt like dyin', but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/their-gunnin-for-me-want-to-see-me-fall-you-know-my-story-been/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) [Explore all 397 Jay-Z quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## More Generosity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/) Tony Elumelu > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I think more and more people are becoming much more sensitive to what they do with their money when they die, especially if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-becoming-much-more-sensitive-to-what/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always clear that I didn't want to just do pure charity. My thinking was definitely about looking at the levers in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/i-was-always-clear-that-i-didn-t-want-to-just-do-pure-charity-my/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Browse all 3,867 Generosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lyor Cohen, who I consider my mentor, once told me something that he was told by a rabbi about the eight degrees of giving in Judaism. The seventh degree is giving anonymously, so you don't know who you're giving to, and the person on the receiving end doesn't know who gave. The value of that is that the person receiving doesn't have to feel some kind of obligation to the giver and the person giving isn't doing it with an ulterior motive. It's a way of putting the giver and receiver on the same level. It's a tough ideal to reach out for, but it does take away some of the patronizing and showboating that can go on with philanthropy in a capitalist system. 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