Parshat Re’eh contains the longest sustained treatment of the issue of poverty to be found in the Torah. In the context of teaching laws related to the Sabbatical year, the Torah brings a clear perspective on our obligations to give and lend to the poor.

The rabbis point out a surface contradiction in the Torah’s teaching in chapter 15 of Deuteronomy. Verse 4 says,

“There shall be no needy among you,”

while verse 11 says,

“For the poor shall never cease out of the land.”

In the Tannaitic Midrash Sifre, the rabbis explain that if we do G-d’s will, the needy will not be found among us (though they will still be found elsewhere). If we do not do G-d’s will, they will be among us. Verse 4 is linked to verse 5, which states that we must obey G-d’s commandments.

Since this ideal is hard if not impossible to reach, the Sidra continues by explaining what we must do when there are needy among us. In verses 7 through 11, the Torah gives the commandments to give to the needy and to loan to the needy. In four separate instances, the Torah uses a doubled verb to emphasize its commands:

verse 8: פתח תפתח, העבט תעביטנו;

verse 10 נתון תתן ;

verse 11 פתח תפתח.

All the commands to give and loan are doubled
for emphasis.

The Midrash in Sifre explains that having given once, we must continue to do so, even a hundred times. This is the meaning of פתח תפתח. Giving is to continue based on the ongoing needs of the poor, not based on the desire of the giver.

Sifre also explains a clear hierarchy of whom we must give to, based on verse 7.

“The one most needy takes precedence”,

“The inhabitants of your own city take precedence over the inhabitants of any other city,”

“The inhabitants of the Land (Eretz Yisrael) take precedence over those who dwell outside the land.”

The words of this week’s Parsha, and the earliest commentaries upon them, form the basis of all future Jewish law of Tzedakah. The commandments are clearly stated and so are the rewards: only by virtue of continuous, open-hearted giving will we obtain blessing in the land,

“for because of this thing the Lord your G-d will bless you in all your efforts and all your undertakings. “

(verse 10)

Recent Articles by Rabbi Gail Diamond

• Re'e: Our obligations to eliminate poverty - September 2nd, 2005
• Rabbi Gail Diamond - July 6th, 2005

Categories: Devarim / Deuteronomy, Re'e
Tags: ease, human rights, palestinians, Rewards, settlers, virtue