| Translation | Original |
|---|---|
| One who has fifty dinars which he uses for commerce, should not take [tzedakah]. Anyone who does not need to take [tzedakah] and takes, will come to need others before leaving the world. And anyone who needs to take [tzedakah] and does not take, will eventually support others, before he dies of old age. About such a person it says [Jeremiah 17:7], "Blessed is the person who trusts in God; who makes God their security." [translation by Mechon Hadar] |
מי שיש לו חמשים זוז והוא נושא ונותן בהם הרי זה לא יטול וכל מי שאינו צריך ליטול ונוטל אינו נפטר מן העולם עד שיצטרך לבריות וכל מי שצריך ליטול ואינו נוטל אינו מת מן הזקנה עד שיפרנס אחרים משלו ועליו הכתוב אומר (ירמיהו יז) ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח בה' והיה ה' מבטחו
|
1. Why does the Mishna calculate poverty, for the purposes of tzedakah, in terms of one's liquid, rather than total, assets?
2. Why is it necessary to have a homiletic punishment for people who violate these laws?
3. What value is there in not accepting tzedakah, even when one could take it? Does one who needs tzedakah and accepts it also possess special merit?
| Translation | Original |
|---|---|
| Our Sages taught: Gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness) is greater than tzedakah in three ways: Acts of tzedakah involve only one’s money – gemilut chasadim can involve both money or one’s personal service. Tzedakah can be given only to the poor – gemilut chasadim can be done both for the rich and for the poor. Tzedakah can be given only to the living – gemilut chasadim can be done both for the living and the dead. [AJWS translation] |
תנו רבנן: בשלשה דברים גדולה גמילות חסדים יותר מן הצדקה, צדקה - בממונו, גמילות חסדים - בין בגופו בין בממונו. צדקה - לעניים, גמילות חסדים - בין לעניים בין לעשירים. צדקה - לחיים, גמילות חסדים - בין לחיים בין למתים.
|
1. In what ways can acts of lovingkindness be done for the wealthy?
2. How can we add lovingkindness to our tzedakah?
3. How can we add lovingkindness to our foreign assistance policies? to our domestic policies?
1. What are the benefits and drawbacks of this law? What would happen if our society enforced this rule, almost like a tax?
2. In what way could this law help with foreign assistance reform?
3. What priorities is this text asserting?