Charity and Wisdom: From Judaism – The Talmud, Part 1 of 2

Today, it is our pleasure to present selections from Tractate Peah or the portion of the poor from the Talmud, where we are reminded to perform charity to help the poor.

“The following have no prescribed measure: Peah, First-Fruits, Festival-Offerings, deeds of kindness, and the study of the Law. And the following are the things the fruit of which a man enjoys in this world, but the capital fund of which remains for him in the world to come: The honoring of father and mother, deeds of kindness, and the making of peace between one man and another, but the study of the Law is greater than any of them.”

“If the wind scattered the sheaves from the stack, one must estimate the amount of gleanings that would be gathered from the field and give it to the poor. Rabbi Simon ben Gamaliel says: One gives in proportion to the yield of the field. […] One must not hire workers with the stipulation that the worker’s son shall gather the gleanings behind him. One who does not allow the poor to gather, or allows one, and does not allow another; or if he aids one of them, he is robbing the poor. Of such a one it was said: (Proverbs 22:28) Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. […]”

“If he stays for the night, he should be given his needs for the night. On the Sabbath he should be given three meals. If a man has food for two meals, he should not take any food from the public kitchen. If he has food enough for fourteen meals, he should not take anything from the charity chest.”

“Of him it was said: (Jeremiah 17:7) Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. And this applies also to the judge who renders a true verdict according to the evidence. And every person who is not lame, blind or dumb, but pretends that he is; shall not die of old age before he does become like one of them, for it was said: (Proverbs 11:27) He that seeks mischief, it shall come unto him. And it was also said: (Deuteronomy 16:20) That which is altogether just shall thou follow. A judge who accepts a bribe and perverts a decision shall not die from old age until his eyes have become blinded, for it was said: (Exodus 23:8) And thou shall take no gift, for the gift blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.”