ויקרא רבה ל״דVayikra Rabbah 34

Section 1א׳

וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ (ויקרא כה, לה), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ב): אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְּטֵהוּ ה', אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר אָמַר, זֶה שֶׁמַּמְלִיךְ יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרָע. אִיסִי אָמַר זֶה שֶׁנּוֹתֵן פְּרוּטָה לֶעָנִי. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר זֶה שֶׁקּוֹבֵר מֵת מִצְוָה. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי זֶה שֶׁמַּבְרִיחַ עַצְמוֹ מִן הֶעָרִיצִים. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר זֶה שֶׁמְבַקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה, דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא כָּל מִי שֶׁמְבַקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה פּוֹחֲתִים לוֹ אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים בְּחָלְיוֹ. אֵיתִיבֵיהּ לְרַב הוּנָא אִם כֵּן יַעֲלוּ שִׁשִּׁים וְיֵרֵד עִמָּהֶן לַשּׁוּק, אָמַר לָהֶם שִׁשִּׁים וּבִלְבָד שֶׁיְהוּ אוֹהֲבִין אוֹתוֹ כְּנַפְשׁוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מַרְוִיחִין לוֹ. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּאַבָּא בַּר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה דְּאָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר זֶה שֶׁמַּמְלִיךְ יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרָע, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ג): ה' יִשְׁמְרֵהוּ, מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּאִיסִי דְּאָמַר זֶה שֶׁנּוֹתֵן פְּרוּטָה לֶעָנִי, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ג): וִיחַיֵּהוּ, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּאָמַר זֶה שֶׁקּוֹבֵר מֵת מִצְוָה, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ג): וְאֻשַּׁר בָּאָרֶץ, עַל דַּעְתַּיְהוּ דְּרַבָּנָן דְּאָמְרֵי זֶה שֶׁמַּבְרִיחַ עַצְמוֹ מִן הֶעָרִיצִים, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ג): וְאַל תִּתְּנֵהוּ בְּנֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבָיו, עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא דְּאָמַר זֶה שֶׁמְבַקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים מא, ד): ה' יִסְעָדֶנּוּ עַל עֶרֶשׂ דְּוָי. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָה אַשְׁרֵי נוֹתֵן לְדָל אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל, הֱוֵי מִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ הֵיאַךְ לְזַכּוֹת עִמּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹנָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁרָאָה בֶּן גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁיָּרַד מִנְּכָסָיו וְהוּא מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ לִקַּח, הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ אֶצְלוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁנָּפְלָה לְךָ יְרֻשָּׁה בִּמְדִינַת הַיָּם, הֵא לְךָ חֵפֶץ זֶה, לִכְשֶׁאַתָּה מִתְרַוֵּחַ אַתְּ נוֹתְנוֹ לִי, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹתְנוֹ לוֹ הָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ מַתָּנָה לְךָ נְתַתִּיו. רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם פְּעָמִים כְּתִיב: אַשְׁרֵי, וּמִכֻּלָּם לָא נָטוּל אַפּוֹכֵי אֶלָּא זֶה, וּמַאי אַפּוֹכֵי נָטוּל בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְטֵהוּ ה', לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ.

“If your brother will become poor, and his means fail in proximity to you; you shall support him, stranger or resident alien, and he shall live with you” (Leviticus 25:35). “If your brother will become poor” – that is what is written: “Happy is one who attends to the indigent; the Lord will deliver him on a day of evil” (Psalms 41:2). Abba bar Yimeya said in the name of Rabbi Meir: This is one who crowns the good inclination over the evil inclination. Isi said: This is one who gives a peruta to the poor. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is one who buries an unattended corpse. The Rabbis say: This is one who extricates himself from the tyrants. Rav Huna said: This is one who visits the ill, as Rav Huna said: Anyone who visits the ill, they subtract one-sixtieth of his illness. They raised an objection to Rav Huna: ‘If so, let sixty enter and he will descend with them to the marketplace.’ He said to them: ‘Sixty [would relieve him of his illness], provided that they love him as themselves; but in any case, they benefit him.’ According to the opinion of Abba bar Yimeya, who said in the name of Rabbi Meir: This is one who crowns the good inclination over the evil inclination, [the proof is] as it is written: “The Lord will protect him” (Psalms 41:3) – from the evil inclination. According to the opinion of Isi, who said: This is one who gives a peruta to the poor, [the proof is] as it is written: “And will sustain him” (Psalms 41:3). According to the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, who said: This is one who buries an unattended corpse, it is as it is written: “He will be made happy in the earth” (Psalms 41:3). According to the opinion of the Rabbis, who said: This is one who extricates himself from the tyrants, it is as it is written: “You will not submit him to the will of his enemies” (Psalms 41:3). According to the opinion of Rav Huna, who said: This is one who visits the ill, it is as it is written: “The Lord will support him on a sickbed” (Psalms 41:4). Rabbi Yona said: “Happy is one who gives to the indigent” is not written here, but rather, “happy is one who attends to the indigent” – look at him [in order to ascertain] how to benefit him. Rabbi Yona, when he would see a well-born individual who became impoverished, and was ashamed to take [charity], he would go to him and say to him: ‘Because I heard that an inheritance has come to you overseas, here is this object; when your financial situation eases, you will give it back to me.’ When he would come to give it back to him, he would say to him: ‘I gave it to you as a gift.’ Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina: Twenty-two times it is written: “Happy [ashrei].” And of them all, only this one receives a reward. What reward does he receive? “The Lord will deliver him” (Psalms 41:2). Therefore, Moses cautions them: “If your brother will become poor.”

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יט, יז): מַלְוֵה ה' חוֹנֵן דָּל, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר כְּתִיב (תהלים קלו, כה): נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר, בָּא זֶה וְחָטַף לוֹ אֶת הַמִּצְוָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָלַי לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ גְּמוּלוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יט, יז): וּגְמֻלוֹ יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא רַבִּי נַחְמָן אָמַר לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבָּנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, אִלְמָלֵא מִקְרָא כָּתוּב אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָמְרוֹ, כִּבְיָכוֹל דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל לֹוֶה לִהְיוֹת עֶבֶד לַמַּלְוֶה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כב, ז): וְעֶבֶד לֹוֶה לְאִישׁ מַלְוֶה, רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי רְאוּבֵן אָמַר כָּל מִי שֶׁנּוֹתֵן פְּרוּטָה לֶעָנִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ פְּרוּטוֹת, וְכִי פְּרוּטָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ וַהֲלוֹא לֹא נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶלָּא נַפְשׁוֹ, הָא כֵיצַד הָיְתָה כִּכָּר בְּעֶשֶׂר פְּרוּטוֹת וְעָנִי עוֹמֵד בַּשּׁוּק וְאֵין בְּיָדוֹ אֶלָּא תִּשְׁעָה וּבָא אֶחָד וְנָתַן לוֹ פְּרוּטָה וְנָטַל כִּכָּר וַאֲכָלָהּ וְשָׁבַת נַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף אַתָּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנַּפְשְׁךָ מְצַפְצֶפֶת לָצֵאת מִתּוֹךְ גּוּפְךָ, אֲנִי מְשִׁיבָהּ לְךָ, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ.

Another matter, “if your brother will become poor” – that is what is written: “He who cares for the poor lends to the Lord” (Proverbs 19:17). Rabbi Elazar said: It is written: “He gives food to all flesh” (Psalms 136:25). This one came and snatched the mitzva from Him. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘It is incumbent upon Me to pay him his reward.’ That is what is written: “And He will pay his reward” (Proverbs 19:17). Rabbi Tanḥuma said it in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, Rabbi Naḥman said it in the name of Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon, and the Rabbis in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Were the verse not written, it would be impossible to say it. As it were, it is the way of a borrower to be a servant to the lender. That is what is written: “A borrower is a servant to a man who lends” (Proverbs 22:7). Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Anyone who gives a peruta to a poor man, the Holy One blessed be He gives him perutot. Is it a peruta that he is giving him?I Is he not giving him his very soul? How so? If a loaf was worth ten perutot and a poor man was standing in the marketplace and he had only nine, if one comes and gives him a peruta and he acquires a loaf and eats it, his soul is thereby calmed. The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘You, too, when your soul cries out to leave the body, I will return it to you.’ Therefore, Moses cautions them: “If your brother will become poor.”

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְכִי יָמוּךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יא, יז): גֹּמֵל נַפְשׁוֹ אִישׁ חָסֶד, זֶה הִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה נִפְטַר מִתַּלְמִידָיו הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ וְהוֹלֵךְ עִמָּם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו רַבֵּנוּ לְהֵיכָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ אָמַר לָהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ וְכִי מַה מִּצְוָה זוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶן לִרְחֹץ בְּבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ וְכִי זוֹ מִצְוָה הִיא, אָמַר לָהֶם, הֵן. מָה אִם אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל מְלָכִים שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִים אוֹתָן בְּבָתֵּי טַרְטִיאוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי קִרְקָסִיאוֹת, מִי שֶׁנִּתְמַנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא מוֹרְקָן וְשׁוֹטְפָן וְהֵן מַעֲלִין לוֹ מְזוֹנוֹת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא מִתְגַּדֵּל עִם גְּדוֹלֵי מַלְכוּת, אֲנִי שֶׁנִּבְרֵאתִי בְּצֶלֶם וּבִדְמוּת, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ט, ו): כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גֹּמֵל נַפְשׁוֹ אִישׁ חָסֶד, זֶה הִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה נִפְטַר מִתַּלְמִידָיו הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ וְהוֹלֵךְ עִמָּם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו רַבֵּנוּ לְהֵיכָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, אָמַר לָהֶם לִגְמֹל חֶסֶד עִם הָדֵין אַכְסַנְיָא בְּגוֹ בֵּיתָא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, כָּל יוֹם אִית לָךְ אַכְסַנְיָא, אָמַר לָהֶם, וְהָדֵין נַפְשָׁא עֲלוּבְתָּא לָאו אַכְסַנְיָא הוּא בְּגוֹ גוּפָא, יוֹמָא דֵין הִיא הָכָא לְמָחָר לֵית הִיא הָכָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר (משלי יא, יז): גֹּמֵל נַפְשׁוֹ אִישׁ חָסֶד וְעֹכֵר שְׁאֵרוֹ אַכְזָרִי, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי זֶה שֶׁמַּגַעַת לוֹ שִׂמְחָה וְאֵינוֹ מַדְבִּיק אֶת קְרוֹבָיו עִמּוֹ מִשּׁוּם עֲנִיּוּת. אָמַר רַבִּי נַחְמָן כְּתִיב (דברים טו, י): כִּי בִּגְלַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, גַּלְגַּל הוּא שֶׁחוֹזֵר בָּעוֹלָם, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי יָמוּךְ אָחִיךָ.

Another matter, “if…will become poor” – that is what is written: “The man of kindness does good for himself” (Proverbs 11:17), this is Hillel the elder, who, when he would take leave from his disciples, would walk with them. His disciples said to him: ‘Our teacher, where are you going?’ He said to them: ‘To perform a mitzva.’ They said to him: ‘What mitzva is this?’ He said to them: ‘To bathe in the bathhouse.’ They said to him: ‘Is that a mitzva?’ He said to them: ‘Yes. If the statues of kings that are placed in theaters and circuses, the one who is appointed over them scrubs them and washes them, and they provide him with sustenance, and moreover, he is exalted among the prominent leaders of the kingdom; I who was created in the likeness and image [of God], as it is written: “For in the image of God, He made man” (Genesis 9:6), all the more so.’ Another matter, “The man of kindness does good for himself,” this is Hillel the elder, who, when he would take leave from his disciples, would walk with them. His disciples said to him: ‘Our teacher, where are you going?’ He said to them: ‘To perform an act of kindness with the guest inside the house.’ They said to him: ‘Every day you have a guest?’ He said to them: ‘And is this wretched soul not a guest inside the body; one day it is here, the next day it is not here.’ Another matter, “The man of kindness does good for himself, and one who abuses his flesh is cruel” (Proverbs 11:17). Rabbi Alexandri said: This is one who has a reason to celebrate, but he does not invite his relatives to be with him due to poverty. Rabbi Naḥman said: It is written: “For it is due to [biglal] this matter” (Deuteronomy 15:10), it is a cycle [galgal] that recurs in the world. Therefore, Moses cautions them: “If your brother will become poor.”