When the table had been set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, “Go, my son, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our kindred among the exiles in Nineveh who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, my son, until you come back.”

So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our kindred. When he had returned he said, “Father!” And I replied, “Here I am, my son.” Then he went on to say, “Look, father, one of our own nation has been killed and thrown into the marketplace, and now he lies there strangled.”

give alms according to your circumstances, my son, and do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor. Then the face of God will not be turned away from you.

Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and flee from every sin and do what is good in the sight of the Lord your God.”

Let whatever law the king enacts be proclaimed in his kingdom, and thus all women will give honor to their husbands, rich and poor alike.”

for on these days the Jews got relief from their enemies. The whole month (namely, Adar) in which their condition had been changed from sorrow into gladness and from a time of distress to a holiday was to be celebrated as a time for feasting and gladness and for sending presents of food to their friends and to the poor.

Let us oppress the righteous poor man; let us not spare the widow or regard the gray hairs of the aged.

Alms for the Poor

As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so almsgiving atones for sin.

Duties toward the Poor and the Oppressed

My child, do not cheat the poor of their living, and do not keep needy eyes waiting.

Do not reject a suppliant in distress or turn your face away from the poor.

Give a hearing to the poor, and return their greeting kindly.

Stretch out your hand to the poor, so that your blessing may be complete.

The guest and the stranger and the poor— their boast is the fear of the Lord.

It is not right to despise one who is intelligent but poor, and it is not proper to honor one who is sinful.

The poor are honored for their knowledge, while the rich are honored for their wealth.

Do not wonder at the works of a sinner, but trust in the Lord and keep at your job, for it is easy in the sight of the Lord to make the poor person suddenly rich, in an instant.

A rich person does wrong and even adds insults; a poor person suffers wrong and must add apologies.

What peace is there between a hyena and a dog, and what peace between the rich and the poor?

Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions; likewise the poor are feeding grounds for the rich.

Humility is an abomination to the proud; likewise the poor are an abomination to the rich.

The rich person speaks, and all are silent; they extol to the clouds what he says. The poor person speaks, and they say, “Who is this fellow?” And should he stumble, they push him down.

The prayer of the poor goes from their lips to the ears of God, and his judgment comes speedily.

Whether rich or poor, his heart is content, and at all times his face is cheerful.

Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and in their need do not send them away empty-handed.

Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof than sumptuous food in the house of strangers.