3,197. Prioritizing Limited Funds

Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 8:16

If a male orphan and a female orphan both ask for help getting married, we help the woman first since her embarrassment is greater. She is given no less than 6.25 dinar of pure silver. If the local charity has the funds available, we furnish her with money according to her honor.

Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 8:17

If there are a lot of needy people or a lot of captives and there isn’t enough money available for all of them, a kohein takes priority over a Levi; a Levi takes priority over a Yisroel; a Yisroel takes priority over a chalal (the non-kohein offspring of a kohein); a chalal takes priority over a person of unknown paternity; a person of unknown paternity takes priority over a foundling; a foundling takes priority over a mamzer (the product of an incestuous or adulterous relationship); a mamzer takes priority over a Gibeonite; a Gibeonite takes priority over a convert because the Gibeonite grew up in a state of holiness; a convert takes priority over a freed servant, because when he was a servant he was considered to have been “cursed” (i.e., by Noah’s curse to the descendants of Canaan that they would be slaves).