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Jewish Guide to Fairtrade: PovertyPart one of five text and discussion sheets included within the Jewish Guide to Fairtrade - which can be found in full here. -------- LEVITICUS 25:35-38 -------------------------------------------------- Translation Original If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side: do not exact from her advance (neshech) or accrued interest (tarbit), but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman. Do not lend her your money at advance interest (neshech), or give her your food at accrued interest (marbit). I the Lord am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. [JPS translation [1]. Edited for gender neutrality] וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ וּמָטָה יָדוֹ עִמָּךְ וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ: אַל תִּקַּח מֵאִתּוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹהֶיךָ וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ: אֶת כַּסְפְּךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לוֹ בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וּבְמַרְבִּית לֹא תִתֵּן אָכְלֶךָ: אֲנִי יְקֹוָק אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים: .... [1] http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?id=140 -------- RASHI, LEVITICUS 25:35 (CF. TORAT KOHANIM, SIFRE BEHAR, CHAPTER 5) -- Translation Original "And you hold [your fellow]" - Do not let your fellow slip down until they fall completely, for then it will be difficult to raise them; rather, strengthen your fellow as they begin to fall. To what is this comparable? To a burden upon an donkey. While it is still on the donkey, one person can hold it and set it in place. If it falls to the earth, even five people cannot set it back. [AJWS translation] והחזקת בו - אל תניחהו שירד ויפול ויהיה קשה להקימו, אלא חזקהו משעת מוטת היד. למה זה דומה, למשאוי שעל החמור, עודהו על החמור אחד תופס בו ומעמידו, נפל לארץ, חמשה אין מעמידין אותו: .... -------- EXODUS RABBAH 31:12 ------------------------------------------------- Translation Original There is nothing in the world more grievous than poverty; it is the most terrible of all sufferings. Our sages have said: If all troubles were assembled on one side and poverty on the other, [poverty would outweigh them all]. When a man is rich and has a poor relative, he does not acknowledge him; for when he sees his poor relation, he hides himself from him, being ashamed to speak to him, because he is poor. [AJWS translation] אין בעולם קשה מן העניות שהוא קשה מכל יסורין שבעולם. אמרו רבותינו כל היסורין לצד אחד והעניות לצד אחד .מי שהוא עשיר ויש לו קרוב עני אינו מודה בו, רואה קרובו נטמן מפניו שהוא מתבייש להשיח עמו לפי שהוא עני. .... .... Suggested Dsicussion Questions; 1. How does Judaism view Poverty? 2. How should you treat someone who is at risk of becomming poor? 3. What type of obligation do we have to those in need? When are we repsonsible? 4. Is our respnsibility to the Jewish or wider community? |
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