כִּֽי־יִהְיֶה֩ בְךָ֨ אֶבְי֜וֹן מֵאַחַ֤ד אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֑ךְ לֹ֧א תְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֗ וְלֹ֤א תִקְפֹּץ֙ אֶת־יָ֣דְךָ֔ מֵאָחִ֖יךָ הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ כִּֽי־פָתֹ֧חַ תִּפְתַּ֛ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ ל֑וֹ וְהַעֲבֵט֙ תַּעֲבִיטֶ֔נּוּ דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃
When there is among you a needy one
from any-one of your brothers, within one of your gates
in the land that YHWH your God is giving you,
you are not to toughen your heart;
you are not to shut your hand
to your brother, the needy one. Rather, you are to open, yes, open your hand to him,
and are to give-pledge, yes, pledge to him,
sufficient for his lack that is lacking to him.
from any-one of your brothers, within one of your gates
in the land that YHWH your God is giving you,
you are not to toughen your heart;
you are not to shut your hand
to your brother, the needy one. Rather, you are to open, yes, open your hand to him,
and are to give-pledge, yes, pledge to him,
sufficient for his lack that is lacking to him.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״הַעֲבֵט״, זֶה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס, שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים לוֹ לְשׁוּם הַלְוָאָה, וְחוֹזְרִין וְנוֹתְנִין לוֹ לְשׁוּם מַתָּנָה. ״תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ״, זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס, שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לוֹ לְשׁוּם מַתָּנָה, וְחוֹזְרִין וְנִפְרָעִין הֵימֶנּוּ לְאַחַר מִיתָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה.
The Sages taught in a baraita with regard to the double expression in the Torah: “You shall open your hand to him [ha’avet ta’avitenu]” (Deuteronomy 15:8). “Ha’avet”; this is referring to one who does not have funds and does not want to be supported by charity. The policy is that the charities provide him funds as a loan and go back and give the funds to him as a gift. “Ta’avitenu”; this is referring to one who has means and does not want to support himself. The policy is that the charities provide money as a gift, and then they go back and collect from his estate after his death. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda.
וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: יֵשׁ לוֹ וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס — אֵין נִזְקָקִין לוֹ. וְאֶלָּא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּים ״תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ״? דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה כִלְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם.
The baraita continues: And the Rabbis say: If he has money and does not want to support himself, they do not get involved with him. The baraita asks: How then do I uphold the double expression “ha’avet ta’avitenu”? The baraita answers: The Torah spoke in the language of men, and the double form does not have halakhic significance.
"The case against means testing" by Li Zhou, Vox, October 15, 2021
Means-tested benefits can actually be more expensive to provide, harder to sell politically, and less effective than universal social programs, and they can place both a social stigma and discouraging bureaucratic requirements on Americans in need.
Means-tested benefits can actually be more expensive to provide, harder to sell politically, and less effective than universal social programs, and they can place both a social stigma and discouraging bureaucratic requirements on Americans in need.
Means testing have also long been associated with a moral argument that some segments of the population are deserving of government benefits, while others are not. This idea undercuts the belief that a social safety net is intended to help support those broadly in need, and shifts the burden onto individuals to prove that they’re worthy of getting basic help.