Giving to Charity for Israel's Poor and Needy
The Hebrew Bible establishes a clear obligation to support the poor and needy within Israel, rooted in divine command rather than voluntary sentiment. Deuteronomy 15:11 states, "You shall open your hand to your poor and needy brother in your land," a passage the Talmud interprets as extending beyond one's immediate city to encompass all poor residents wherever they may be [4]. This obligation appears throughout Scripture: God promises not to forsake the poor and needy who seek water [1], and the psalmist commands, "Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked" [3].
The principle of voluntary giving emerges in the Exodus account of the tabernacle contributions, where God instructs Moses to receive offerings "from every man whose heart moves him" [2]. The Talmud connects this voluntary spirit to national exaltation, citing Moses' question about how Israel's horn would be raised, to which God responds that it will be through the donations and charity they give [8]. This suggests that charitable giving serves not merely as social welfare but as a means of spiritual elevation for the entire community.
Rabbinic tradition establishes a hierarchy of charitable priority. Abraham Ibn Ezra specifies that the poor "of Israel" are the intended recipients of agricultural gleanings [6], and further clarifies that "the poor of your family" take precedence, followed by "the needy of your land" before those of another place [9]. This prioritization reflects practical wisdom about proximity and responsibility rather than exclusion of others entirely.
The sages understood charity as mutually beneficial. Midrash Rabbah preserves the striking language poor people used when requesting alms: "Gain through me, be exalted through me, gain for yourself through me" [10]. This phrasing reveals a theological conviction that the giver receives spiritual benefit from the act. Rabbi Simon taught that neglecting charity brings twenty-four curses while its practice yields twenty-four blessings [7], underscoring the gravity of this obligation.
The Talmud records a debate between Turnus Rufus and Rabbi Akiva about whether charity contradicts divine will, with Rufus arguing that helping those God has impoverished defies divine judgment [5]. The preservation of this challenge indicates ongoing theological reflection about the nature of charitable obligation and its relationship to divine sovereignty.
Sources
- Isaiah “The poor and needy seek water, and there is none. Their tongue fails for thirst. I, Yahweh, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. -- Isaiah 41:17”
- Exodus “Exodus 25:2 (NASB) — "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.”
- King James Version “[KJV] Psalms 82:4 — Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia 31b.7: With regard to the mitzva of giving charity and granting loans, it is written: “For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying: You shall open [ patoaḥ tiftaḥ ] your hand to your poor and needy brother in your land” (Deuteronomy 15:11). I have derived only the obligation to give charity to the poor residents of your city. From where is the obligation to give charity to the poor residents of another city derived? The verse states: “ Patoaḥ tiftaḥ ,” to teach that you must give charity to the poor in any case.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 10a.3: Turnus Rufus said to Rabbi Akiva: On the contrary, it is this charity which condemns you, the Jewish people, to Gehenna because you give it. I will illustrate this to you with a parable. To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a king of flesh and blood who was angry with his slave and put him in prison and ordered that he should not be fed or given to drink. And one person went ahead and fed him and gave him to drink. If the king heard about this, would he not be angry with that person? And you, after all, are called slaves, as it is stated: ”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 19:10: FOR THE POOR. Of Israel.”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra Rabbah 34:11: Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Let the mitzva of [charity to] the poor not be insignificant in your eyes, as its failure engenders twenty-four curses, and its reward is twenty-four blessings. Its failure engenders twenty-four curses; it is written: “Appoint a wicked one over him…when he is judged, may he be found guilty…may his days be few…may his children be fatherless…may his children wander and beg…may creditors seize all that he has…may there be no one to offer him kindness…may his legacy be cut off…may the iniquity of his fat”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 10b.3: The Gemara discusses other matters concerning charity. Rabbi Abbahu says: Moses said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, with what shall the horn of Israel be exalted? God said to him: With the passage of “When you raise,” i.e., Israel will be exalted by way of the donations and charity that they will give, as it is stated: “When you raise the heads of the children of Israel…then shall they give” (Exodus 30:12).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 15:11: UNTO THY POOR. The poor of your family. The needy of your land come before the needy of another place. If thy brother, a Hebrew man (v. 12) follows 36 The laws of charity. because of thou shalt furnish him liberally (v. 14). 37 You have to give your servant from your property. Thus both sections deal with the concept of giving.”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra Rabbah 34:7: Rabbi Ze’eira said: Even the conversation of the residents of the Land of Israel is Torah. How so? A person says to another: ‘Gain through me, be exalted through me, gain for yourself through me.’ 14 This is what the poor would say to the wealthy when asking for charity. The very manner in which they asked indicated a clear understanding of the benefit of charity for the giver. Rabbi Ḥagai said: ‘Consider me, look at me.’ 15 This is what the poor might say to the wealthy when asking for charity. Consider what I was and look at what I am, as Rabbi Ḥagai said”