(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY …. This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²., Lev. 9:2. It is as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³ It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, if you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and if you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED ; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵ (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading their cause with you,¹⁶., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷ and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

footnotes: ¹² Tanh ¹³ Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. ¹⁴ PRNS ¹⁵ Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. ¹⁶ This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh ¹⁷ Gk.: magganon.