Halakhah sobre Isaías 1:27

It is a positive commandment to give charity to poor Jewish people, as it is said "Open your hand to him."¹Deuteronomy 15:8. And it is said: "That your brother may live with you."²Leviticus 25:36. Anyone who sees a poor person seeking help and ignores him, and does not give him charity, transgresses a prohibitive commandment, as it is said: "Do not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your brother in need."³Numbers 15:7. [Giving] charity is a characteristic of the descendants of Abraham, as it is said: "For I have a special love for him because he commands his children and his household after him [to preserve the way of Hashem] doing charity and justice."⁴Genesis 18:19. And the throne of Israel will be established and the religion of truth confirmed only through charity, as it is said: "Through charity will you be reestablished."⁵Isaiah 54:14. Greater is he who performs acts of charity than [one who brings] all the sacrifices, as it is said: "Performing acts of charity and justice is more desirable to Hashem than sacrifices."⁶Proverbs 21:3. The Jewish people will be redeemed only through [the merit of] charity, as it is said: "Zion will be redeemed through justice and its captives through acts of charity."⁷Isaiah 1:27. A person never becomes poor through giving charity, nor will any evil or harm befall him because of his giving charity, as it is said: Through acts of charity, there will be peace."⁸Isaiah 32:17. Whoever is merciful with others will be treated with mercy [from Heaven], as it is said: "He [God] will show you mercy; and have compassion upon you and multiply you."⁹Deuteronomy 13:18. Anyone who is cruel, causes his lineage to be suspect.¹⁰The descendants of Abraham are known for their kindness and generosity. One who does not possess this attitude causes his lineage to be doubtful. The Holy One blessed is He, is near to the cry of the poor, as it is said: "He will hear the cry of the poor."¹¹Job 34:28. Therefore one must beware of their anguished cry, for a covenant was made with them, as it is said: "When he cries out to me I will listen, for I am compassionate."¹²Exodus 22:26. The Jerusalem Talmud says: The door that doesn't open for the poor will open for the doctor. A person should consider, that he continually requests his sustenance from the Holy One blessed is He; and just as he requests that the Holy One blessed is He, listen to his cry and prayer, so should he listen to the cry of the poor. A person should also consider that [fortune] is a wheel that revolves in the world, and in the end he or his children or his children's children might [have to] accept charity. Let no man think: "Why should I diminish my wealth by giving it to the poor?" For he should know that the money is not his, but rather [it was given to him as] a trust, with which to do the will of the One Who entrusted the funds to him. And this [charity giving] will be his real share from all his toils in this world, As it is written:¹³Isaiah 58:8. "Your acts of charity shall preceed you [into the World to Come]. Charity voids evil decrees and prolongs life.

Should territorial concessions prove to be warranted and necessary they will yet be unrelated to the ultimate, divinely vouchsafed destiny of Israel. Considerations of security may mandate such concessions, but to no believing Jew will they afford occasion for rejoicing. An anecdote told of the sainted Hafez Hayyim provides a perspective which is perhaps even more valid now than at any time in the past. When news of the Balfour Declaration reached Radun, the townspeople came to the Hafez Hayyim in a state of joy and excitement. They were overjoyed that the British government had granted permission for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Erez Yisra'el. But the Hafez Hayyim did not share their jubilation and expressed astonishment at their great joy. He said to them, "The British government is going to allow a few thousand Jews to immigrate to the Land of Israel and establish a Jewish settlement on a small tract of land. Is that enough? Have you forgotten that the Almighty long ago gave us a promise, 'u-farazta yamah va-kedmah ve-zafonah va-negbah' (Genesis 28:14). We are told that Jewish settlements are going to stretch out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. How can we possibly be happy and satisfied with the meager concession of the British Government? How can we be satisfied with attainment of only such a small measure of that which the Almighty justly and properly owes us? 'Ẓion be-mishpat tipadeh—Zion will be redeemed in judgment' (Isaiah 1:27). We have a claim against the Almighty. He has dispersed us in the lands of the Diaspora, but He has promised us that He will lead us out of exile. He has promised that He will lead us back to the Land of Israel and restore it to us in its entirety. Of course, we are grateful for everything which has been achieved. Every square dunam of the Land of Israel which is developed, cultivated and populated is the occasion for happiness and joy. But that is only the beginning. We are still awaiting with eager anticipation the fulfillment of the divine promise, 'Every place whereon the sole of your feet shall tread, unto you shall it be' (Deut. 11:24)."

And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Ketuvot 67b) that we trick a poor person who does not want to take [charity] and we give it to him [as] a loan, and afterwards we do not ask it back from him. But we do not pay attention to a wealthy person who torments himself and who has a bad eye with his [own] money. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Ketuvot 67b), "'Enough for his lack' (Deuteronomy 15:8) - you are commanded to fill his lack, but you are not commanded to make him wealthy." And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 9:3) that he never saw and never heard of a city that has ten [or more] from Israel that did not have a charity fund. And they, may their memory be blessed, said that even a poor person that sustains himself from charity is obligated to [give] charity if he finds someone [more needy] than he, who needs it. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 10:2) that no man ever came to poverty because of doing too much charity (tsedekah), as it is stated (Isaiah 32:17), "And the work of righteousness (tsedekah) shall be peace." And Israel is only redeemed in the merit of charity, as it is stated (Isaiah 1:27), "Zion will be redeemed with justice (tsedekah)." [These] and the rest of its details are in [several] scattered places in the Talmud, but most of them are in Tractate Ketuvot (Chapter 6) and in Bava Batra (Chapter 1).