Pisqa’ 116³²¹

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’,

“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).

“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).

2. “If there shall be among you” (Dt. 15:7)— but not among the others.

“A pauper” (Dt. 15:7)— the hungriest of the hungry takes precedence.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“Which HASHEM your God is giving you” (Dt. 15:7)— [responsibility for the needy applies to] all circumstances.

3. “Do not shut your heart” (Dt. 15:8). There are people who agonize— to give or not to give?

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

“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’

“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.

“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.

4. “Sufficient for his needs” (Dt. 15:8)— you’re not commanded to make him rich!

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

Hillel the Elder once gave to a pauper from a prominent family a horse for exercise and a slave to serve him.

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.

“For him” (Dt. 15:8)— this implies that his wife [shares in his support].

“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.