Midrasz do Psalmów 41:2

(Gen. 44:18:) THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM…. This text is related (to Eccl. 9:14-15): THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT; < AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT, BESIEGED IT, AND BUILT GREAT SIEGE WORKS AGAINST IT >. NOW THERE WAS FOUND IN IT A [POOR WISE] PERSON {WHO WAS POOR AND WISE}, < WHO MIGHT HAVE DELIVERED THE CITY BY HIS WISDOM; BUT NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT POOR PERSON >. What does it mean?¹Eccl. R. 9:14/15:8; Ned. 32b; above, 11:1. This verse is stated about all generations. THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY, i.e., the body; WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT, i.e., the two hundred and forty-eight members [which are in a person]; AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT, i.e., the evil drive, which is bigger than the good drive, < i.e., older > by thirteen years and one day. Now the evil drive says: Let us eat, drink, and fulfill all our desires; but the good drive says: Let us not eat and drink, but be occupied with Torah. Then we heed the evil drive. Why? Because it is bigger than all of them. (Eccl. 9:14, cont.:) AND BUILT GREAT SIEGE WORKS AGAINST IT, i.e., sins and transgressions. (Eccl. 9:15:) NOW THERE WAS FOUND IN IT A PERSON WHO WAS POOR AND WISE, i.e., the good drive; WHO MIGHT HAVE DELIVERED THE CITY BY HIS WISDOM;²Cf. Ned. 32b, which adds here, “I.e., repentance and good deeds.” BUT NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT POOR PERSON, for no one heeds the good drive, because it is insignificant. So, whoever heeds the good drive is blessed, as stated (in Ps. 41:2 [1]): BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO PAYS HEED TO A POOR PERSON….³See Lev. R. 34:1.

R. Juda in the name of Samuel said: "Whoever visits a sick person will be saved from the ffiudgment of Gehenna, as it is said (Pa. 41, 2) Happy is he that careth for the poor (Dal). On the day of evil [ra'a] will the Lord deliver him. Dal. (poor), refers to a sick person, as it is said (Is. 38, 12) From pining sickness (midalla) will He snatch me away; or from the following passage (II Sam. 13, 4) Why O son of the king, art thou thus becoming leaner from day to day? And again ra'ah refers to Gehenna, as it is said (Prov. 16, 4) Everything hath the Lord wrought for its destined end: Yea even the wicked for the day of unhappiness (ra'ah). But if one does visit [a sick person] what will be his reward? Why his reward will be as we said before; he will be saved from Gehenna? We must therefore explain it thus: What will be his reward in this world? Everything mentioned in the following passage (Ps. 41, 3) The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive; he shall be made happy on the earth; and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the revengeful desire of his enemies; i.e., the Lord will preserve him from the evil inclination and keep him alive from agonies; he shall be happy on the earth, that all will honor him; and Thou wilt not deliver him unto the revengeful desires of his enemies. He will happen to meet associates like those of Na'amon, who advised him how to he cured of his leprosy, but he will not chance to meet friends like those who happened to associate with Rehobo'am, who caused the division of the latter's kingdom. We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simon b. Elazar said: "If the elders tell you to destroy, and the young tell you to build, rather destroy according to the advice of the elders and do not build, because the destruction of the elders equals to building, while the building of the young equals to destruction. An example of this may be brought from the case of Rehabo'am, son of Solomon."

If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath forgotten the sun, there is nothing in his hand (Eccles. 5:12–13). The Holy One, blessed be He, tests everyone; (with regard to) the wealthy, if they are generous toward the needy, they enjoy their wealth in this world, and the righteousness they perform will be rewarded in the world-to-come, as it is said: And thy reward (Isa. 58:8). It says elsewhere: Happy is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the day of evil (Ps. 41:2).

Another matter, “a small city” – this is the body, “and few men in it” – these are the limbs, “and a great king came against it” – this is the evil inclination. Why does he call the evil inclination “great”? Because it is thirteen years older than the good inclination.¹⁰⁴A person receives an evil inclination upon birth, and a good inclination only upon reaching the age of bar or bat mitzva. “And surrounded it and built a great siege upon it” – this is ambush and subterfuge. “He found in it a poor, wise man” – this is the good inclination. Why does he call it poor? Because it does not exist in all people, and most people do not heed it. “And he saved the city in his wisdom” – as anyone who heeds it is saved. David said: 'Good for one who heeds it; that is what is written: “Happy is one who attends to the helpless” (Psalms 41:2). “But no one remembered…” – the Holy One blessed be He said: You did not remember it; I remember it, “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh…” (Ezekiel 36:26).