יורה דעה רנ״הYoreh De'ah 255

Se’if 1א׳

לְעוֹלָם יַרְחִיק אָדָם עַצְמוֹ מֵהַצְּדָקָה וִיגַלְגֵל עַצְמוֹ בְּצַעַר, שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכֵן צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים: עֲשֵׂה שַׁבָּתְךָ חֹל, וְאַל תִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת. וַאֲפִלוּ הָיָה חָכָם מְכֻבָּד וְהֶעֱנִי, יַעֲ ק בְּאֻמָּנוּת וְאֲפִלוּ בְּאֻמָּנוּת מְנֻוֶּלֶת, וְאַל יִצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת.

A man should always keep himself far from charity and roll himself in hardship, so that he will not become dependent on people. And so the Sages commanded: make your Sabbath a weekday, and do not become dependent on people. And even if he was an honoured sage and became poor, he should engage in a craft, even a degrading craft, and not become dependent on people.

Se’if 2ב׳

ֹ כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִטֹּל מֵהַצְּדָקָה וּמְרַמֶּה הָעָם וְנוֹטֵל, אֵינוֹ מֵת עַד שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִטֹּל וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִחְיוֹת אֶלָא אִם כֵּן יִטֹּל, כְּגוֹן זָקֵן אוֹ חוֹלֶה אוֹ בַּעַל יִסוּרִין, וּמֵגִיס דַּעְתּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל, הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים, וּמִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, וְאֵין לוֹ בְּצַעֲרוֹ אֶלָא עֲוֹנוֹת וְחָטָאִים. וְכָל מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִטֹּל וּמְצַעֵר עַצְמוֹ, וְדוֹחֵק אֶת הַשָּׁעָה, וְחַי חַיֵּי צַעַר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַטְרִיחַ עַל הַצִּבּוּר, אֵינוֹ מֵת עַד שֶׁיְּפַרְנֵס אֲחֵרִים, וְעָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: בָּרוּךְ הַגֶבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה' (יִרְמִיָּה יז, ז).

Anyone who does not need to take from charity, and deceives the people and takes, does not die until he becomes dependent on people. And anyone who needs to take and cannot live unless he takes — such as one who is old, or sick, or afflicted with suffering — and is proud and does not take, this one is a shedder of blood and is liable for his own life, and he has nothing for his suffering but iniquities and sins. And anyone who needs to take, and afflicts himself, and presses the hour, and lives a life of suffering so as not to burden the congregation, does not die until he supports others; and of him the verse says: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord" (Jeremiah 17:7).