## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 116

###### Sifrei Devarim 116:1
[Sifrei Devarim 116:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:1)

(דברים טו ו) **כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בֵּרַכְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ**, וּמָה דִּבֶּר לָךְ? (דברים כח ג) ״בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה בָּעִיר״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 116**³²¹
1. **“For HASHEM your God will bless you as He *promised* you” (Dt. 15:6).**
**Now, what did He *promise* you?**
**“May you be blessed in the city, and blessed in the field” (Dt. 28:3).** ³²² par.12.

footnotes:
³²¹ H:161-162; JN1:289-291.
³²² Mechilta Ishmael, paskha’,


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:2
[Sifrei Devarim 116:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:2)

**וְהַעֲבַטְתָּ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים**, יָכוֹל תְּהֵא לוֹוֶה בְּסֶלַע וּמַלְוֶה בְּשֶׁקֶל, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲחֵרִים עוֹשִׂים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וְאַתָּה לֹא תַעֲבֹט**.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And you shall *extend credit* to many nations” (Dt. 15:6).
Is it possible to say that
you shall borrow a *sela* from one nation
and lend a *sheqel* to another
as do the others ?
The Teaching states:
“Yet *you* will require no credit” (Dt. 15:6).


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:3
[Sifrei Devarim 116:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:3)

**וּמָשַׁלְתָּ בְּגוֹיִם רַבִּים**, יָכוֹל תְּהֵא מוֹשֵׁל בַּאֲחֵרִים וַאֲחֵרִים מוֹשְׁלִים בְּךָ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים א ז): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנִי בֶזֶק שִׁבְעִים מְלָכִים...״? לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: **וּבְךָ לֹא יִמְשֹׁלוּ**.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And you will *dominate* many nations” (Dt. 15:6)—
is it possible to say that
just as you shall [at times] dominate the others,
the others shall [at times] dominate you,
in accord with what is said:
“And Adoni-bezek said:
seventy kings . . . gathered food from among my table scraps.
As I have done, so has God repaid me” (Jud. 1:7).
This is why it is stated:
“But they will not [always] dominate you” (Dt. 15:6).


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:4
[Sifrei Devarim 116:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:4)

(דברים טו ז) **כִּי יִהְיֶה בְךָ** – וְלֹא בַאֲחֵרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “If there shall be among *you*” (Dt. 15:7)—
but not among the *others*.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:5
[Sifrei Devarim 116:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:5)

**אֶבְיוֹן** – תָּאֵב תָּאֵב קוֹדֵם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“A *pauper*” (Dt. 15:7)—
the hungriest of the hungry takes precedence.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:6
[Sifrei Devarim 116:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:6)

אָחִיךָ – זֶה אָחִיךָ מֵאָבִיךָ; כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר **מֵאַחַד אַחֶיךָ** – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָחִיךָ מֵאָבִיךָ קוֹדֵם לְאָחִיךָ מֵאִמְּךָ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“From one of your *brothers*” (Dt. 15:7)—
this refers to a patrilineal brother.
When He states:
“From *one* of your *brothers*” (Dt. 15:7)—
it teaches that the needs of your patrilineal brother
precede the needs of your matrilineal brother.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:7
[Sifrei Devarim 116:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:7)

**בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ** – יוֹשְׁבֵי עִירְךָ קוֹדְמִים לְיוֹשְׁבֵי עִיר אַחֶרֶת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“In one of *your* gates” (Dt. 15:7)—**
**the needs of the residents of *your* city**
**precede the needs of the residents of *another* city.**


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:8
[Sifrei Devarim 116:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:8)

**בְּאַרְצְךָ** – יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ קוֹדְמִים לְיוֹשְׁבֵי חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר **בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ**, הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד – אַתָּה מְצֻוֶּה לְפַרְנְסוֹ, הָיָה מְחַזֵּר עַל הַפְּתָחִים – אִי אַתָּה זָקוּק לוֹ לְכָל דָּבָר.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“In *your* Land” (Dt. 15:7)—**
**the needs of the residents of the Land**
**precede the needs of those beyond the Land.**³²³ par.19, s.v., *yisra`’el vegoy*
When He states:
“In one of your gates” (Dt,15:7)—
does this imply that if a pauper lived in one place,
you are commanded to support him [from local resources],
**but if he collected door-to-door,**
**you haven’t any obligation toward him?**³²⁴

footnotes:
³²³ // Mech.ISH, neziqin,
³²⁴ =T. Pe’ah 4:8.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:9
[Sifrei Devarim 116:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:9)

**אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ** – בְּכָל מָקוֹם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Which HASHEM your God is giving you” (Dt. 15:7)—
[responsibility for the needy applies to] all circumstances.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:10
[Sifrei Devarim 116:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:10)

**לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת לְבָבְךָ**, יֵשׁ בֶּן אָדָם שֶׁמִּצְטַעֵר אִם יִתֵּן – אִם לֹא יִתֵּן.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “Do not shut your heart” (Dt. 15:8).
There are people who agonize—
to give or not to give?


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:11
[Sifrei Devarim 116:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:11)

**וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת יָדְךָ**, יֵשׁ בֶּן אָדָם שֶׁפּוֹשֵׁט אֶת יָדוֹ וְחוֹזֵר וְקוֹפְצָהּ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Or close your hand” (Dt. 15:8).
There are people who extend their hand,
and, then withdraw it and close it.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:12
[Sifrei Devarim 116:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:12)

**מֵאָחִיךָ הָאֶבְיוֹן** – אִם אֵין אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לוֹ – סוֹפְךָ לִטּוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ. מִנַּיִן אִם פָּתַחְתָּ פַּעַם אַחַת פְּתַח אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה פְעָמִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים טו ח): ״כִּי פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ לוֹ״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Against your needy brother” (Dt. 15:8).
If you don’t give him something *now*,
your destiny is to take alms from *him*!
**How do we know that**
**if you opened your hand to him once,**
**you must open it to him even a hundred times?**³²⁵ 117.3.
The Teaching states:
“Rather open your hand wide to him,

footnotes:
³²⁵ Cf. Piska’


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:13
[Sifrei Devarim 116:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:13)

**וְהַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ**, **פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח** – פְּתַח לוֹ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁאִם הָיָה בַּיְשָׁן אֱמוֹר לוֹ ׳אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִלְווֹת׳! מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: צְדָקָה נִתֶּנֶת כְּמִלְוָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And *gladly* extend him credit” (Dt. 15:8)
“Open your hand wide (*patoakh tiftakh*) to him”—
first approach him (*petakh lo*) with words.
And if he is embarrassed to be in need,
say to him:
Do you need a loan?
On this basis they taught:
**alms should be extended like a loan**.³²⁶

footnotes:
³²⁶ // T. Pe’ah 4:12. F:175, n.8 regards the baraita as an interpolation.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:14
[Sifrei Devarim 116:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:14)

**הַעֲבֵט תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ** – נוֹתְנִים לוֹ וְחוֹזְרִים וּמְמַשְׁכְּנִים אוֹתוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אוֹמְרִים לוֹ הָבֵא מַשְׁכּוֹן, כְּדֵי לְהָגִיס אֶת דַּעְתּוֹ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“And *gladly* extend him credit” (Dt. 15:8)—
give him alms first,
and then urge him to put up collateral for a loan:
words of R. Judah.
But sages say:
**instruct him to put up collateral**
**in order to embolden him**.³²⁷

footnotes:
³²⁷ //T. Pe’ah 4:12.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:15
[Sifrei Devarim 116:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:15)

**דֵּי מַחְסוֹרוֹ** – אֵין אַתָּה מְצֻוֶּה לְעַשְּׁרוֹ.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
4. “*Sufficient* for his *needs*” (Dt. 15:8)—
you’re not commanded to make him rich!


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:16
[Sifrei Devarim 116:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:16)

**אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ** – אֲפִלּוּ סוּס וַאֲפִלּוּ עֶבֶד.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“That are *lacking* for him” (Dt. 15:8)—**
**even [if his needs are costly], like a horse or slave.**


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:17
[Sifrei Devarim 116:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:17)

מַעֲשֶׂה בְּהִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן שֶׁנָּתַן לְעָנִי בֶּן טוֹבִים אֶחָד סוּס שֶׁהָיָה מִתְעַמֵּל בּוֹ וְעֶבֶד שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ. שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בַּגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲלִים לְאוֹרֵחַ לִיטְרָא בָּשָׂר בְּכָל יוֹם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**The story is told:**
**Hillel the Elder once gave**
**to a pauper from a prominent family**
**a horse for exercise**
**and a slave to serve him.**
**And another story:**
**it once happened in the Upper Galilee**
**that they served a guest**
**a *litra’* of meat every day**.³²⁸

footnotes:
³²⁸ //T. Pe’ah 4:10.


###### Sifrei Devarim 116:18
[Sifrei Devarim 116:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/116:18)

**לוֹ** – זוֹ אִשָּׁה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב יח): ״אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“For *him*” (Dt. 15:8)—**
**this implies that**
**his wife [shares in his support].**
**This is in accord with what is said:**
**“I will make a partner *for him* as *his* counterpart” (Gn. 2:18)—**
**[thus, a wife may benefit from his alms**].³²⁹

footnotes:
³²⁹ Cf. T. Ket.6:8.