Top Ten List of Best Economic Justice Jewish Texts (AJWS)

R. Abba said in the name of R. Simeon ben Lakish: the person who lends money [to a poor person] is greater than the person who gives charity; and the one who throws money into a common purse [to form a partnership with the poor person] is greater than both. [translation by AJWS]

Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: It happened once that a man cast his eye upon a woman and was overcome with great desire, so much so that he became gravely ill. They came and asked the doctors, who advised, “He cannot be healed unless he has sex with her.” The sages said, “Let him die and not have sex with her.” [The doctors suggested] “Let her stand before him naked.” The sages said, “Let him die and let her not stand before him naked.” [The doctors suggested] “Let her speak with him from behind a fence.” The sages said, “Let him die and not speak with her from behind a fence.” [AJWS translation]

One is prohibited from designating less than a sixtieth for pe'ah. Even though it says that there is no measure for pe'ah, all is according to the size of the field and the number of poor people and the yield. [AJWS translation]

You are commanded to provide the needy with whatever they lack. If they lack clothing, you must clothe them. If they lack household goods, you must provide them...You are commanded to fulfill all of their needs, though not required to make them wealthy.

When you make a loan of any sort to your countryman, you must not enter the person's house to seize the pledge. You must remain outside, while the person to whom you made the loan brings the pledge out to you. If the person is needy, you shall not go to sleep in the pledge; you must return the pledge to the person at sundown, that s/he may sleep in his/her cloth and bless you; and it will be to your merit before Adonai your God. You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay the persons wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for s/he is needy and urgently depends on it; else s/he will cry to Adonai against you and you will incur guilt. [JPS translation edited for gender-neutrality]

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the corners of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am Adonai your God. [JPS translation]

If a poor man requests money from you and you have nothing to give him, speak to him consolingly. It is forbidden to upbraid a poor person or to shout at him because his heart is broken and contrite...for it is written ( in Isaiah 57:15), "To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite." [translation by AJWS]

Do not let him slip down until he falls completely, for then it will be difficult to raise him; rather, strengthen him as he begins to fall. To what is this comparable? To a burden upon an donkey. While it is still on the donkey, one person can hold it and set it in place. If it falls to the earth, even five people cannot set it back. [AJWS translation]

There is nothing in the world more grievous than poverty; it is the most terrible of all sufferings. Our sages have said: If all troubles were assembled on one side and poverty on the other, [poverty would outweigh them all]. When a man is rich and has a poor relative, he does not acknowledge him; for when he sees his poor relation, he hides himself from him, being ashamed to speak to him, because he is poor. [AJWS translation]

Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained, and infringe on the rights of the poor. Give strong drink to the hapless and wine to the embittered. Let them drink and forget their poverty, and put their troubles out of mind. Speak up for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy. [JPS translation]

He who oppresses the poor, blasphemes his Maker. He who is gracious to the needy honors God. [JPS translation]

If there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsfolk in any of your settlements in the land that ‘ה your G-d is giving you, …. You must open your hand and lend him/her sufficient for whatever s/he needs… Give to her/him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsfolk in your land.