"Some people live in their own narrow world and are stingy to themselves.
But they do so not out of miserliness, for there are people who can realize that other people are in need but fail to see that they themselves are no less in need.
There is a story in the Midrash Rabbah about some scholars who came to a city to raise money for charity.
They sent one of their number to observe the household of a certain illustrious citizen in order to ascertain how much to ask of him.
The scholar came to the house and by chance overheard the rich man scolding his wife, insisting that she buy a cheaper brand of lentils for their table.
The scholars therefore did not even bother to approach him for money but collected their charity from others.
When they were about to take their departure, the rich man complained to them, 'Why didn't you come to me?'
They explained the reason, and he answered, 'Concerning that which belongs to me, I chose to be stingy, but about that which belongs to God I prefer to be generous.'"
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
From In the Beginning by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
