Who is an עני?

MISHNAH: He who owns 200 zuz should not take gleanings, forgotten sheaves, peah, and tithes of the poor. If he had 199, even if a thousand people gave him at the same time, he should take. If they were mortgaged for his wife’s ketubah or for a creditor, he may take. One does not require him to sell his house or the vessels of daily use. HALAKHAH: A student of Rebbi had 199 denar; Rebbi used to let him receive the tithe of the poor once every three years. His students cast an evil eye on him and completed for him. The next time, when he wanted to let him receive, he said: My teacher, I have the measure. He said, this one was hit by a beast of prey. He gave a hint to his student who took him to a store, made him spend a carat, then he (Rebbi) let him receive as he was used to do.

MISHNAH: He who has 50 zuz and uses them for trade should not take. One who has no need to take but takes will not die of old age until he needs the creatures. One who has need to take but does not take will not die of old age until he can provide for others from what is his; for him is was said (Jer. 17:7): “Blessed be the man who will be confident in the Eternal, the Eternal will be his trust.” The same applies to a judge who delivers strictly true judgment. But one who is neither lame nor blind nor limping and presents himself as such will not die from old age until he will be one of them, as it is said (Deut. 16:20): “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” But every judge who takes bribes and bends the law will not die from old age until his eyes are dimmed, as it is said (Ex. 23:8): “Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the seeing.”

One who has food to suffice for two meals must not take any from the Tamhuy. One who has enough for fourteen meals must not take anything from the Kuphah. And if he has two hundred Zuz uninvested or fifty Zuz invested, he should receive no charity. But if he has two hundred Zuz minus one denar uninvested, he may accept charity, even if the sum of a thousand Zuz be given him at one time. And if he has much money in his possession, but is indebted to others, or the money is the security of his wife's widowhood-endowment, he is entitled to charity. If one possesses a house and many household utensils but no two hundred Zuz, he may accept charity; and he does not have to sell his household goods, even if they be vessels of gold and silver. This applies only to eating and drinking utensils, articles of clothing, bedclothes and the like; but if he has a silver strigil or pestle, he should sell it and not depend on charity. Further, this law that he is not required to sell his gold and silver utensils applies only where he does not have to touch the public charity-fund but depends upon secret private assistance. But where he asks to be maintained out of the Kuphah, he should be refused until he sell the utensils.
RMI.—And so, in communities where it is a rule not to give charity to anyone having a definite capital, the dwelling and the necessary household utensils are not reckoned as "definite capital." Some authorities hold that the limits spoken of here, were meant only for their days, but that to-day one may depend on charity until he possesses a large enough principal to yield a sufficient income with which to support himself and family—and there is sound reason in this view.

If, while journeying from place to place, one's funds give out, he may resort to charity, and on returning home he is not compelled to refund (for the law in this case is like that of a poor man who later grows rich,—he does not have to repay).