Midrash su Proverbi 22:22

(Lev. 25:25,35:) “And when your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property […]. And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails.” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22-23), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished […]. For the Lord shall plead their cause.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished,’ for I have made him impoverished. [Hence] whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his Maker. [It is] as if he is mocking at Me, as stated (in Prov. 17:5), ‘One who mocks a poor person reproaches his Maker […].’” What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished?” Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he does not have anything?¹¹Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹²PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, and you have reconsidered and said, “How long shall I provide for him,” and you [then] hold back from giving to him; if you do this, know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished”; but rather maintain him, because he has no other place [to turn]. (Ibid., cont.:) “And do not oppress the poor in the gate,” lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for the heavens also have a gate, as stated (in Gen. 28:17), “and this is the gate of the heavens.” (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” I am pleading [their cause] with you, because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting his charm¹³Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2), “Rich and poor meet; the Lord made them all.” Why? (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” Why so much? Because you are reducing his spirit (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.), “and he will despoil the ones who despoil them of life (nefesh).”

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: R. Jonathan declared: Every judge who renders a just verdict causes the Shekhinah to hover over Israel, as it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God. But every judge who renders an unjust verdict causes the Shekhinah to depart, as it is said: For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord (Ps. 12:6). R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: From every judge who takes money from one and gives it to another unjustly, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes the soul away, as it is said: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (Prov. 22:22).

7) "shall you leave": before them. Leave grain in its stalk; fenugrec, in its spike; dates in their "broom." I might think (that the stalks are peah) even if the wind dispersed them; it is, therefore, written "them" (and not their dispersed stalks). If he set them aside (as peah, in their stalks), and then the wind dispersed them, then just as they (the poor) have acquired them, they have acquired their stalks. Whence is it derived that a possibility (safek) that something might be leket is leket, and that safek shikchah is shikchah, and safek peah is peah? From "to the poor man and to the stranger shall you leave them" (even a "possibility" of them). "I am the L–rd your G d" (elokeichem) ("elokim is a judge). I exact of you "souls" in payment, as it is written (Mishlei 22:22 and Mishlei 22:23) "Do not rob the needy one because he is needy, nor oppress the poor man in the gate. For the L–rd will take up their quarrel and He will rob their robbers of (their) soul."

And thus did Solomon say (I Kings 3:9) "And give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people… for who can judge this 'heavy' people of Yours!" Is it possible that Solomon could not judge Israel, Solomon of whom it is written (Ibid. 5;10-11) "And the wisdom of Solomon was greater than that of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrachite, and Heiman and Chalkol and Darda, the sons of Machol. And his fame spread to all the people around him" — and he could not judge them! — This is what he said to them. I am not like all the other judges. A Canaanite judge sits on his platform, sentencing one to the sword, strangulation, burning, or stoning, as if nothing had happened. And if he imposes a fine of a sela, he (himself) takes two; two — he takes three; a dinar — he takes a maneh. It is not so with me. If I have (wrongfully) imposed a money fine, He claims "lives"! And thus is it written (Proverbs 22:22) "Rob not the poor man because he is poor, and afflict not the pauper in the gate (of judgment). For the L-rd will fight their battle, and He will rob the soul of their robbers!"

What is written about one who takes interest? He that hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Exod. 18:13). This may be compared to a king who makes his treasures available to a certain individual who later begins to oppress the poor, kill the widows, embarrass the needy, despoil the naked, do violence and theft, indulge in falsehood, and squander the king’s treasures. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasure to the wealthy, with all that He possesses in it, as it is said: Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. 2:8). Then the rich man begins to loan money on interest. And he starts to taunt the widows and oppress them with interest, to embarrass the poor, and to humiliate the naked who seek charity from him, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker (Prov. 17:5). If a man’s neighbor is in debt to him for a hundred zuzim, he beats him, strips him, does violence to him, steals from him, and destroys the pledges he entrusted to him. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou was not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled (Isa. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him wealth from His treasure house, which was a treasure house of truth, and he made it into a treasure house of falsehood, as it is said: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies, for thou didst trust (Hos. 10:13). Hence, when the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is not more (Prov. 10:25). And that is why Solomon proclaimed: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (ibid. 22:22).

(Numb. 4:17-18:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.” R. Tanhuma bar Abba said that R. Levi said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’ This refers to the lupine¹¹⁴Gk.: thermos (“hot”). which arrives with the dessert. One should not say, ‘There are nuts and dates before me. I will say the blessing over them and leave the lupine alone.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said (ibid.), ‘Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’” R. Hezekiah said that R. Jeremiah bar Abba said in the name of R. Johanan, “It is with reference to everyone who does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text says (ibid.), ‘do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’¹¹⁵See Avot 6:3. So when a person hears something, it is necessary to cite it in the name of the one who [originally] said it, even though [doing so takes up] more than a third of a law (halakhah).” Thus our masters have taught (in Pe'ah 2:6): R. Nahum the Scribe¹¹⁶Livlar. Cf. Lat.: libellaris (“documentary”); libellarius (“relating to a written rental contract”); librarius (“scribe,” “copyist”). said, “I have received from R. May'asha, who received […] from the elders, a law (halakhah) of Moses from Sinai. So it is with reference to whoever does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text (of Prov. 22:22) says, ‘do not rob the impoverished.’ But everyone who does say something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world.¹¹⁷Meg. 15a. From whom have you learned it? From Esther when she heard of the matter from Mordecai. For that reason she was worthy of having Israel be redeemed at her hands.” Ergo, if you hear something, cite it in the name of the one who said it. Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished.” It speaks about the tribe of Levi, and it is calling the tribe of Levi poor.¹¹⁸See Numb. R. 5:2. Were [the Levites] poor? R. Judah bar Simon and our masters [differ about the matter]. One of them says, “Why were they called poor? Because they were poor from [lack of] inheritance, as stated (in Josh. 13:33), ‘But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi….’ Therefore, do not rob them of the donations, which I have told you [to give].” But the other (i.e., our masters) says, “It is because they were poor in number. Why so? Because the ark was destroying them. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses and said (in Numb. 4:18), ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’”

(Numb. 4:17-48:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING: DO NOT CUT OFF THE TRIBE OF THE KOHATHITE FAMILIES <FROM THE LEVITES>. This text is related (to Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. R. Tanhuma bar Abba said:¹³⁶Tanh., Numb. 1:22. R. Levi said: DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. This refers to the lupine¹³⁷Gk.: thermos (“hot”). which arrives with the dessert. One should not say: There are nuts and dates before me. I will say <the blessing> over them and leave the lupine alone. The Holy One said (ibid.): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. R. Hezekiah and R. Jeremiah bar Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: It is with reference to everyone who does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text says (ibid.): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED.¹³⁸See Avot 6:3. So when a person hears something, it is necessary to cite it in the name of the one who <originally> said it, even though <doing so takes up> more than a third of a law (halakhah). Thus our masters have taught (in Pe'ah 2:6): R. NAHUM THE SCRIBE¹³⁹Livlar. Cf. Lat.: libellaris (“documentary”); libellarius (“relating to a written rental contract”); librarius (“scribe,” “copyist”). SAID: I HAVE RECEIVED FROM R. MAY'ASHA, WHO RECEIVED [FROM ABBA, WHO RECEIVED FROM THE PAIRS (zugot),¹⁴⁰Gk.: zuga (“yokes”); cf. Lat.: juga. WHO RECEIVED] FROM THE ELDERS, A LAW (halakhah) OF MOSES FROM SINAI. So it is with reference to whoever does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text (of Prov. 22:22) says: DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED. But everyone who does say something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world.¹⁴¹Meg. 15a. From whom have you learned it? From Esther. When she heard of the matter from Mordecai, she said to Ahasuerus according to what is stated (in Esth. 2:22): AND ESTHER SPOKE TO THE KING IN THE NAME OF MORDECAI. For that reason she was worthy of having Israel be redeemed at her hands. Ergo: If you hear something, cite it in the name of the one who said it.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED. It speaks about the tribe of Levi, and it is calling the tribe of Levi poor.¹⁴²See Numb. R. 5:2. Were <the Levites> poor? R. Judah bar Simon and our masters differ. One of them says: Why were they called poor? Because they were poor from <lack of> inheritance, as stated (in Josh. 13:33): BUT MOSES GAVE NO INHERITANCE TO THE TRIBE OF LEVI. Therefore, do not rob them of the donations, which I have told you <to give>. But the other (i.e., our masters) said that they were poor in number. Why so? Because the ark was destroying them. Therefore the Holy One commanded Moses and said (in Numb. 4:18): DO NOT CUT OFF THE TRIBE OF THE KOHATHITE FAMILIES <FROM THE LEVITES >.