Pemikiran Yahudi Mazmur 109:31: Netivot Olam

Do not think about giving charity to a poor person that you are doing him a favor — if a borrower is a slave to the lender, all the more so, and a fortiori, when he gives charity is the poor person considered like his slave once he takes it from him. As this thing is not [the case]. For they said in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 34:8-9): It was taught in the name of Rabbi Joshua: More than what the homeowner does for the poor person, the poor person does for the homeowner. As Ruth said to Naomi: The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz (Ruth 2:19). It is not written here, "who worked with me," but "I worked with him," for the sake of the sustenance he gave me. Rabbi Yose said, "It is written, because [ya'an, which is formed by the same letters as ani, a poor person] and in spite of (Leviticus 26:43) — he is the cause, he is the poor person." Rabbi Shila said, "This poor person stands at your door and the Holy One, blessed be He, stands at his right, as it is written: For he stands at the right hand of the needy (Psalms 109:31). If you gave to him, know that He who stands at his right, He is the One who will give you your reward in the future; and if you did not give to him, know that He who stands at his right, He will collect if from that man, as it is written: to save him from those who judge his soul (Psalms 109:31). And the explanation of this thing is that when he gives charity to the poor person, [the latter] receives it from the one who gives it to him, but the giver receives [reward] from God, may He be blessed. And we have already said that when a spring is opened, and its water goes out and spreads, that spring is then [replenished] with fresh water from the source. Accordingly, it said that the poor person does more for the homeowner than the homeowner does for the poor person. For that very thing that the homeowner does for the poor person, which is to provide bounty and give to the poor person, that is the very thing that the poor person does for the homeowner since he causes God, may He be blessed, to provide bounty and give to him. As one who opens the spring and brings out its water to his vineyard and to his field — behold, this one that opened it does more for the owner of the spring than what the owner of the spring does for him, in that he gave him water for his field. As since he took out the water — that is why fresh and healthy water [now] comes to the spring from the source itself. And because of the morsel that Boaz give to Ruth, Boaz received several blessings. It said: It is written: Because and in spite of (Leviticus 26:43) — he is the cause, he is the poor person." Meaning to say, because the poor person for whom you act certainly has repayment. As the trait of strict justice governs the poor person. And there is no one whom the trait of strict justice governs over more than the poor person. And it is as they said in the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 31:14), "There is no attribute harsher than poverty, as anyone who is suffering in poverty, it is as though all the afflictions in the world adhere to him and as though all the curses in the book of Deuteronomy have come upon him." And they [further] said about him, "Had all forms of affliction gathered on one side and poverty on the other side, poverty would tip the scales against all of them." And the explanation of this is that other afflictions are when there is a change in a person which deviates from the order of good health; and likewise are all afflictions deviations from the order of the world. But a change is a partial absence, and not a complete absence; whereas poverty is [actual] absence in that he is lacking money. And that is called a complete absence. So that corresponds to all afflictions, as they are only deviations from the order of the world and are partial absences. It follows that anything that happens to anyone who is ruled by the trait of strict justice is also paid back by the trait of strict justice. So when one does good to him, the trait of strict justice ensures that he will be rewarded. And so, too, if he hears his cry but does not give charity to him, the trait of strict justice compels his repayment. And that is why he is called ani, which [is made up of] the same letters as ya'an [because]. For the expression, ya'an appears about repayment, "Because and in spite of you have done this thing." And this expression indicates complete repayment for what is done to the poor person in every place. And that is why Scripture stated: Because and in spite of (ya'an ou'veya'an). That is to say that the expression, ya'an ou'veya'an in an expression of repayment. That is why he is called an ani, which is the [same] letters as ya'an, since it indicates that there is complete repayment for what is done to him, whether in reward or whether in punishment. The matter of charity has been explained to you, that it is fitting that he [give it] to those who are his brothers in Torah and the commandments. But a person should have mercy even on the animals, to have mercy upon them and sustain them.