הלכה אויף ישעיהו 58:9

One should give sustenance to one's sons and daughters who have come of age and to whom one is no longer required to give such support so that they may study the testimonies of Torah and to guide one's daughters on an upright path and not become shameful.¹⁹³See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 50a. So also one should give sustenance to one's father and mother, for this is essential tzedakah. It is an important principle of tzedakah that a relative takes precedence [over another].¹⁹⁴See Babylonian Talmud Bava Metzia 71a. All who give food and drink to the poor and the orphans from his own table can call to God and he will be answered with joy, as it is said, (Isaiah 58:9) Then, when you call, the LORD will answer.

And I, the author, say that there is no distinction between the forgotten sheaf, the corner and the poor tithe on the one hand, and other charity on the other. As behold there is a story (Jerusalem Talmud Peah 8:7) about a student of Rebbi who had 199 dinar, and Rebbi wanted to bequeath him a large gift. However one of the rabbis completed it to be two hundred (which would disqualify him from receiving charity). Rebbi heard [about this] - he said, "This one was struck by the plague of the pious." He [then] said to [another] one of the rabbis, "Go and remove it from him," and he removed it. So Rebbi gave him that present. Behold, you learn from this that someone who has two hundred zuz may not take from the charity fund. But everything is according to his needs and the needs of his household, as Rabbenu Ephraim, may his memory be blessed, explained. And that is how I explain that which my teachers ask about that [passage in the chapter entitled] Haba al Yevimto (Yevamot 63a): The Rabbis taught, "One who lends a sela to a poor person at his time of need, about him the verse states (Isaiah 58:9), 'Then shall you call, and the Lord will answer.'" Yet in the first chapter of Chagigah (5a), we say, then "many evils and troubles are come upon them" (Deuteronomy 31:21) - "Shmuel said, 'This is [referring to] one who provides money to a poor person at his time of need.'" And it appears in my eyes - me, the author - that that [passage] in Chagigah is when he had 199 dinar and they wanted to give him a thousand dinar, but [this one] heard and completed the two hundred in order to make him lose the thousand that they wanted to give him. There, certainly, "many evils and troubles are come upon them" - since he caused this poor man to lose a thousand dinar. But someone who gives a loan to a poor person at his time of need - certainly that one, he shall 'call, and the Lord will answer him.' As he intended [it] for his good. And even if he had 199 dinar and this one lent him a dinar and completed the two hundred with this dinar - nevertheless, it is still called, 'he shall call, and the Lord will answer.' Since this dinar is not his and he has to repay it, he still does not have two hundred of his own; so it is permissible for him to take from the charity fund. And you should know that in the first chapter of Chagigah, it [specifically] mentioned, "one who provides money to a poor person at the time of his need," such that he provides him with that money that it should be his, so that he [then] have two hundred zuz and it would be forbidden for him to take from the charity fund. But here, it is "one who lends a sela to a poor person" - as he intends to benefit him with a loan. So he merits, 'he shall call, and the Lord will answer him.'

It is a mitzvah to lend money to Jews who are in need, as it is said, "If you lend money to My people, to the poor amongst you," etc.¹Exodus 22:24. This applies only if you have ready cash. It is also a mitzvah to lend him vessels or other thing. (Ahavas Chesed 1:2, 3) Although it is written "if", our Sages of blessed memory, received the tradition that this "if" is not an option, but an obligation. The Mechilta states that the verse, "If you lend money to my people," denotes an obligation. Why do you say it is an obligation? Perhaps it is really optional (since it states "if")? Because we can infer from the verse, "And you shall surely lend him,"²Deuteronomy 15:8. that it is obligatory and not optional. The word "if" written here means, when you lend money, you should lend it to My people, and not to heathens. And to whom of My people? To him that is with you. From this they inferred that your poor relatives take precedence over other poor people, and the poor of your city take precedence over the poor of other cities.³Maseches Baba Metzia 21a. The mitzvah of lending money to a poor person is greater than giving charity to a poor beggar,⁴Maseches Shabbos 63a. for the latter has already been reduced to begging, while the former has not yet reached this stage. The Torah is provoked with one who refuses to lend money to the poor, as it is said, "And your eye be evil against your needy brother"⁵Deuteronomy 15:9. etc. Concerning the one who lends to the needy in time of his distress, the Scripture says, "Then you shall call and God will answer."⁶Isaiah 58:9.