Midrash sobre Provérbios 22:23

R. Samuel h. Nachmeni in the name of R. Jonathan said: "A judge that decides the law in accordance with the equity of truth causes the Shechina to dwell in Israel, as it is said (Ps. 82, 1) God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of judges doth He judge. And the judge who decides the law not in accordance with the equity of truth causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel, as it is said (Ib. 12, 6) Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said also in the name of R. Jonathan: "A judge who causes [through his decisions] the transfer of money from one hand to another, contrary to the law, the Holy One, praised be He! will collect from his own soul, as it is said (Prov. 22, 23) Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither crush the afflicted in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life of those who despoil them." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said also in the name of R. Jonathan: "A judge should always imagine that a sword lies between his thighs, that Gehenna is open under him: (Ib. b) as it is said (Songs 3, 7, 8) Behold it is the bed tchich is Solomon's; sixty valiant men are around about it, of the valiant ones of Israel. All of them are girded with the sword, are expert in war; every one hath his word upon his thigh, because of the terror in the night — i.e., because of the terror of Gehenna, which is equal to the night." R. Yashiya (according to others, R. Nachman b. Isaac) lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Jer. 21, 12) O house of David, thus hath said the Lord: Exercise justice on [every] morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Is it then customary to judge only in the morning, and not during the entire day? It means, if the thing which you decide is clear to you as the morning, then do decide, but if not, do not." R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jonathan said: "We infer it from the following (Prov. 7, 4) Say unto wisdom. Thou art my sister, which means, if the thing is as certain to you as it is the law that prohibits you from marrying your sister, then you may say it, but not otherwise." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "If ten judges sit in court discussing one case, the responsibility rests upon every one of them." But is that not self-evident? It means even a disciple who is sitting before his teacher [although he merely discusses without any result].

(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).

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."

"there is no truth": Words of Torah are not being spoken, viz.: (Proverbs 22:23) "Buy truth and do not sell it."