Hunger and Passover

ByAJWS Staff

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Passover Haggadah, Ha Lachma

Translation	Original
This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat; let all who are in need come share our Passover.	הא לחמא עניא די אכלו אבהתנא בארעא דמצרים. כל דכפין ייתי ויכול, כל דצריך ייתי ויפסח.

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. What does "our Passover" refer to that we must share with the hungry?
2. What is the importance of remembering a time of affliction now that we are free?
3. How can we carry the lessons of our own (past or present) affliction to inform our current acts?

Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 104a

שבת ק״ד א:ד׳

אמרי ליה רבנן לרבי יהושע בן לוי: אתו דרדקי האידנא לבי מדרשא ואמרו מילי דאפילו בימי יהושע בן נון לא איתמר כוותייהו: אל"ף בי"ת - אלף בינה, גימ"ל דל"ת - גמול דלים, מאי טעמא פשוטה כרעיה דגימ"ל לגבי דל"ת - שכן דרכו של גומל חסדים לרוץ אחר דלים. ומאי טעמא פשוטה כרעיה דדל"ת לגבי גימ"ל - דלימציה ליה נפשיה. ומאי טעמא מהדר אפיה דדל"ת מגימ"ל - דליתן ליה בצינעה, כי היכי דלא ליכסיף מיניה

Shabbat 104a:4

The Rabbis told R. Joshua b. Levi: Children have come to the Beit Midrash (house of study) and said things the like of which was not said even in the days of Joshua the son of Nun. [Thus]: Alef Beth means “learn wisdom” [Alef Binah]; Gimmel Daleth, “show kindness to the poor” [Gemol Dallim]. Why is the foot of the Gimmel stretched toward the Daleth? Because it is fitting for the benevolent to run after [seek out] the poor. And why is the roof of the Daleth stretched out toward the Gimmel? Because he [the poor] must make himself available to her [the benevolent]. And why is the face of the Daleth turned away from the Gimmel? Because she must give him help in secret, lest she be ashamed of him. [Soncino translation. Edited for gender neutrality.]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. According to this text, who is responsible for ensuring that the poor receive charity?
2. Why would the benevolent be ashamed of the poor? Do you see examples of this today?
3. How do the values in this text translate to our tzedakah practice?

Psalms 145:16

פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן:

Psalms.145.16

You give it [food] open-handedly, feeding every creature to its heart's content. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. According to this text, who is responsible to feed humanity?
2. How can you reconcile this text with the reality that many people in the world are hungry?

Leviticus 19:9-10

בְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם לֹא תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָׂדְךָ לִקְצֹר וְלֶקֶט קְצִירְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט: וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תְעוֹלֵל וּפֶרֶט כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Leviticus.19.9-10

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the corners of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am Adonai your God. [JPS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Who are the players in this text - seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. What social justice themes emerge from this text?