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International Aid: Jewish Sources and Discussion Questions

 

From the American Jewish World Service Education Module on, "Addressing Global Poverty: International Aid, Debt Relief, and Trade Justice"

*Universe of Obligation is "the circle of individuals and groups toward whom obligations are owed, to whom rules apply, and whose injuries call for amends." (Accouting for Genocide, Helen Fein, Free Press, 1979, p. 4)

Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 7:1-2

Translation Original
It is a positive commandment to give charity to the poor, as is appropriate to the poor person, providing the giver can afford it, as it says, “You shall open your hand to him,” and “You shall strengthen the stranger who dwells with you,” and “Your brother shall live with you.” And any who sees a poor person begging and hides his eyes and does not give him charity transgresses a negative commandment, as it says (Deuteronomy 15:7), “Do not harden your heart or close your hand from your poor brother.” [AJWS translation]
מצות עשה ליתן צדקה לעניים כפי מה שראוי לעני, אם היתה יד הנותן משגת, שנאמר פתוח תפתח את ידך לו ונאמר והחזקת בו גר ותושב וחי עמך ונאמר וחי אחיך עמך. וכל הרואה עני מבקש והעלים עיניו ממנו ולא נתן לו צדקה עבר בלא תעשה שנאמר (דברים טו:ז) לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפוץ את ידך מאחיך האביון.

 

-What do you think the phrase "as is appropriate to the poor person" means?

-What do you think should be the limits of "providing the giver can afford it?" Does it mean "can afford it without being inconvenienced?" Or "can afford it without becoming impoverished?" Or something else? What is the extent of our obligation to the poor?

-The seccond verse uses the phrase, "any who sees a poor person..." What does this imply about the dimensions of our universe of obligation? Are we only obligated to help poor people we can see? Does the existence of photography and televisionc hange the dimensions of our universe of obligation? Does it change who we feel about poor in other places?

Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 61a

Translation Original
Our Rabbis taught: We sustain the non-Jewish poor with the Jewish poor, visit the non-Jewish sick with the Jewish sick, and bury the non-Jewish dead with the Jewish dead, for the sake of peace. [AJWS translation]
ת"ר: מפרנסים עניי נכרים עם עניי ישראל, ומבקרין חולי נכרים עם חולי ישראל, וקוברין מתי נכרים עם מתי ישראל, מפני דרכי שלום.

 

-What are the implications of this text for the dimensions of our universe of obligation? To whom are we obligated? 

-Why are these three examples (poverty, illness, and death) chosen to symbolize our obligations?

-Much has been made of the phrase "in the interests of peace"- does it imply that we're only caring for non-Jews because we want them to like us, or because we fear they'll harm us if we don't? What are some other ways of reading this phrase? 

Rashi, Exodus 23:9

Translation Original
"Don't oppress a stranger"- You know the feelings of the stranger-how painful it is for him when you oppress him. [Nechama Leibowitz Haggadah]
וגר לא תלחץ - בהרבה מקומות הזהירה תורה על הגר מפני שסורו רע: את נפש הגר - כמה קשה לו כשלוחצים אותו:

-What does our experience in Egypt have to do with the way we are supposed to treat strangers? To what degree is it possible "to know the heart of a stranger," if we personally and individually have not been in Egypt? To what degree can a shared historical or cultural memory of slavery impact how we act in the present? 

Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 54b

Translation Original
Whoever can prevent his household from committing a sin but does not, is responsible for the sins of his household; if he can prevent the people of his city, he is responsible for the sins of his city; if the whole world, he is responsible for the sins of the whole world. [AJWS translation]
כל מי שאפשר למחות לאנשי ביתו ולא מיחה - נתפס על אנשי ביתו, באנשי עירו - נתפס על אנשי עירו, בכל העולם כולו - נתפס על כל העולם כולו.

 

-This text is phrased in the negative- it's about failing to prevent someone from sinning. Does it imply anything about failing to help someone do the right thing?

-The text is also framed in such a way that a person's obligation is to prevent the perpetration of a sin, not to protect the victim of that sin. Does that matter?

- The phrase "can prevent" suggests that this obligation falls only on people with power and authority. Are we off the hook if we don't have the power to intervene? 

Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 54b

Translation Original
Whoever can prevent his household from committing a sin but does not, is responsible for the sins of his household; if he can prevent the people of his city, he is responsible for the sins of his city; if the whole world, he is responsible for the sins of the whole world. [AJWS translation]
כל מי שאפשר למחות לאנשי ביתו ולא מיחה - נתפס על אנשי ביתו, באנשי עירו - נתפס על אנשי עירו, בכל העולם כולו - נתפס על כל העולם כולו.

 

-This text is phrased in the negative- it's about failing to prevent someone from sinning. Does it imply anything about failing to help someone do the right thing?

-The text is also framed in such a way that a person's obligation is to prevent the perpetration of a sin, not to protect the victim of that sin. Does that matter?

- The phrase "can prevent" suggests that this obligation falls only on people with power and authority. Are we off the hook if we don't have the power to intervene? 

Created By

Naamah Paley
American Jewish World Service