The Paradox of Poverty in the Torah
There Shall Be No Needy
A few weeks ago, the Jewish people entered the book of Devarim, also known as the Book of Deuteronomy, the final book of the Torah. In Hebrew, Devarim translates to words. The book commences with, "These are the words that Moses addressed to all the people…" Deuteronomy comprises almost entirely the final words of Moses in a series of farewell addresses. It's somewhat paradoxical considering Moses initially tried to turn down his leadership role, citing that he was not "a man of words." (See Exodus. 4:10)
As we traverse through the book of Deuteronomy, we find the Israelites on the cusp of a significant transition, standing on the bank of the Jordan River, poised to cross over and finally enter the Promised Land. Moses stands for the last time before the people he has led for the past forty years, acutely aware that his tenure of leadership and life are nearing an end. Knowing that he will not be crossing into the new land with them under these dramatic and poignant circumstances, Moses delivers his most profound and final sermon to the people, which comprises the majority of the Book of Deuteronomy.
As I've shared before, one of the things I cherish about Judaism is its universality; Jews all over the world are reading the same section of the Torah. For those unfamiliar, the Torah is also called the Five Books of Moses of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This week's Torah portion, Re'eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17), presents an intriguing paradox. In Deuteronomy chapter 15, it states:
"There shall be no needy among you… If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your brother in need. Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs....For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to the poor and the needy in your land."
These statements appear contradictory—how can the Torah declare "there shall be no needy among you," and then assert "there will never cease to be needy ones in your land"? This apparent contradiction underscores the tension between our aspiration for a society without poverty and the ongoing reality of need, serving as a reminder of our obligation to continually strive towards the eradication of poverty.
More importantly, these passages communicate God's instructions on our societal relationships with the needy and the poor. God delineates our duties towards them and emphasizes that only through our adherence to these commandments will there be no needy among us. God entrusts us with this responsibility and won't simply alleviate these problems on our behalf.
One of my teachers, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, proposes that the overarching Jewish attitude towards the poor can be encapsulated by a single word from the biblical text: אחיך (achecha) "your brother." This term underscores the dignity of the poor and implores us to resist viewing them as different from ourselves.
The Torah reminds us of our shared divine origin by designating the poor person as our sibling, our brother. We should remember to love our neighbor, brother, sister, sibling, and stranger as we love ourselves, for we are all made in God's image. This consciousness prevents us from distancing ourselves from them and inhibits us from perceiving ourselves as inherently different or superior.
This week's Torah portion also underscores our societal obligation towards the poor. They are our siblings, and it's our duty to care for them. We are endlessly responsible for the marginalized in our society.
Alone, we may not be able to eradicate poverty, but by embracing our individual responsibilities and by acting as a collective, as a society, we can edge closer to the vision of a world without need. This text encourages us to believe that we can make a significant difference in this world if we extend our care and concern to our brothers and sisters in need. This is God's will—it's a call to action for us all.