Tzedakah according to Rebbe and the ravens

On the day Rabbi Akiva died, Rebbe was born.

From the days of Moses until Rebbe, we did not find holy learning and secular knowledge combined in one person!

Rebbe opened his storehouses during years of scarcity, and said: "Let all those who are masters of Torah, masters of Mishnah, masters of Gemara, masters of Halacha, or masters of Aggadah enter, but those who are unlearned (am ha-aretz) may not." Rabbi Yonathan ben Amram pushed his way in and said to Rebbe, "Master, support me!" Rebbe asked him, "My son, have you studied Torah?" "No," Rabbi Yonathan said. "Have you studied Mishnah?" "No," he responded. "How can I then support you?!" Rabbi Yonatan said, "Support me, for even a dog and a raven are given food."

He gave him food.

Later, he left, and Rebbe sat and had regrets, and he said: "Woe is me that I gave food to an am ha-aretz!" Rabbi Shimon son of Rebbe said to him: Perhaps it is your disciple, Yonatan ben Amram, who all his life refused to benefit from the honor of the Torah." They checked, and found that it had been him.

Rebbe then said, "All may enter (and receive support)."

(6) At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made (7) and sent out the raven; it went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.

(3) “[You, Elijah], leave this place; turn eastward and go into hiding by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. (4) You will drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” (5) He proceeded to do as God had bidden: he went, and he stayed by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. (6) The ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening, and he drank from the wadi.