Kaisipang Hudyo sa Job 31:20: Derashot HaRan & Duties

Thus far, the appointment of the two classes of functionary — judges and king — and their respective areas of jurisdiction. Next to be provided for is their sustenance and the ordering of their affairs so that they can properly fulfill the task for which they were appointed. Kings required no special provisions in this regard, for they ruled over the entire land and all was theirs. But such provisions were necessary for the judges, most of whom were from the tribe of Levi by virtue of being less preoccupied than the other Jews, not having been granted a lot or portion among them. And thus we learned in Sifrei (Deuteronomy 153): "'And you should come to the Cohanim and to the judge' — it is a mitzvah that Cohanim and Levites be included in the beth din, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:10): 'They shall teach your judgments to Jacob.'" It is for this reason that the Torah begins with the provisions for the Cohanim, saying it is better that they not have a lot among the Jews so that they not be prevented by their preoccupations from completing their work in the Temple and freeing themselves to study Torah in order to judge the people a righteous judgment. The Torah, therefore, allotted them portions of the sacrifices offered in the Temple: the flesh of sin-offerings, guilt-offerings, and others — (Ibid 18:2): "the fire-offerings of the L-rd and His portion shall they eat." And from the people there was allotted them all that was necessary for their sustenance (Ibid 3-4): "And this shall be the Cohain's portion from the people. The first of your corn…" Now this encompasses all of a man's basic needs: from the offerings and tithes, corn, wine, and oil; from the offerers of sacrifices, flesh to flavor their repasts; and from the first shearing, their necessary clothing (this shearing being allotted them for this purpose, as stated by our sages (Chullin 137a): "Sheep whose wool is hard are exempt from the first shearing, it being written (Job 31:20): 'And he was warmed with the fleece of my sheep.'" For, the first shearing having been allotted the Cohanim only for purposes of clothing, those sheep whose wool was hard, and thus not fit for this purpose, were exempt from this requirement.)

The rich man's beneficence to the poor man for the sake of a heavenly reward: He is like a merchant who acquires a great and enduring pleasure which he will enjoy at the end of a definite time by means of a small, perishable and inconsiderable gift which he makes immediately. So the rich man only intends to win glory for his soul at the close of his earthly existence by the benefaction which G-d entrusted to him, in order to bestow it upon anyone who will be worthy of it. Yet it is generally recognized that it is proper to thank and laud a benefactor. Even though the latter's motive was to gain spiritual glory hereafter, gratitude is, nevertheless, due to him, as Job said: "[because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him;] the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me" (Job 29:13); and further, "did not his heart bless me, when he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep?" (Job 31:20).