Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah · Siman 250

Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah 250 — English translation

Translation: Section on Charity, trans. Louis Feinberg. N.Y. School of Philanthropy, 1915. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1How much is to be given to a poor man? Sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth. Thus, if he is hungry, he should be fed; if he needs clothing, he should be clothed; if he lacks household utensils, they should be purchased for him; and even if he had been accustomed before he was impoverished to ride on horseback with a slave running before him, he should be furnished with a horse and a slave. And so each and every one should be supplied with what he needs. and he . But see Ketub. 67b (a treatise of the Talmud), story of Rabbi Nehemiah. If it is fit to give him [merely] a slice of bread, give him a slice; if it is proper to give him dough, give him dough; if he ought to be provided with lodging, too, provide a bed for him. If it is fit to give him a warm meal, give him warm food; if cold lunch, then cold lunch. If he has to be fed [like an infant] then he must be fed. If he is unmarried and he comes to take a wife, the community should find him a mate; but first they should rent him a home, prepare him a bed and furnish him with necessary household utensils, and then marry him off. RMI.—It appears that all this applies to Gabbaïm over public funds or to many doing charitable work together, but every individual is not bound to satisfy all the needs of a poor man who may chance to come his way. What he ought to do is to arouse public interest in a worthy case; but if he lives far from men, he should give what he can afford.
2. 2A poor woman who has an opportunity of marrying, shall receive not less than fifty Zuz; and if there is enough in the treasury, she should be maintained as honorably as is befitting her.
3. 3A pauper who begs from house to house should be given only a small sum from the Kuphah.
4. 4A poor man, who goes from place to place, shall receive not less than a loaf of bread costing a dupondium, when four S'ah of wheat are worth one Sela. If he remains over night, he should be given a couch to sleep upon and a bolster under his head, and oil and small fruit; and if it is Sabbath, he should be provided with food for three meals, and oil, small fruit, fish and herbs; and if he is known [to be worthy], he should be given as much as is befitting his honor.
5. 5If the poor in a city are numerous, and the rich say they should go and beg, and the middle classes say they should not beg but be supported by the members of the community in proportion to their wealth, the law is as the latter say.

License: Public Domain