רמבם, הלכות מלכים י:יב
אפילו העכו"ם צוו חכמים לבקר חוליהם, ולקבור מתיהם עם מתי ישראל, ולפרנס ענייהם בכלל עניי ישראל, מפני דרכי שלום. הרי נאמר טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו, ונאמר דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום.
Our sages commanded us to visit the non-Jewish sick and to bury the non-Jewish dead along with the Jewish dead, and support the non-Jewish poor along with the Jewish poor for the sake of peace. As it says, “God is good to all and God’s mercies extend over all God’s works” (Psalms 145:9), and “[The Torah’s] ways are pleasant and all its paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17).
[AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What does it mean to do something for the sake of peace? What are other reasons are there to do things?
2. Why might we assume that we would not be obligated to help the non-Jewish poor and sick? What does this tell us about the nature of community?
Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)