תלמוד בבלי, שבת קנא:
תניא, רבי אלעזר הקפר אומר: לעולם יבקש אדם רחמים על מדה זו, שאם הוא לא בא - בא בנו, ואם בנו לא בא - בן בנו בא, שנאמר (דברים טו:י) כי בגלל הדבר הזה, תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל: גלגל הוא שחוזר בעולם.
It was taught, Rabbi Eleazar ha-Kappar said: Let one always pray to be spared this fate [poverty], for if one does not descend [to poverty] one's child will, and if not one's child, one's grandchild, as it says (Deuteronomy 15:10), “because of [bi-gelal] this thing.” The school of Rabbi Ishmael taught: It is a wheel [galgal] that revolves in the world.
[Soncino translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. How is a poverty a fate that one should pray to avoid? How does this perspective change our understanding of poverty?
2. What makes R. Eleazar ha-Kappar believe that poverty is inevitable? To what extent do you agree?
3. How can this text inform our social justice work?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)