(Fol. 66b) Our Rabbis were taught: R. Jochanan b. Zakkai was once riding on a donkey outside of Jerusalem, and his disciples had followed him. He saw a young woman picking barley out of the dung of an Arabian's cattle. As soon as she observed him, she covered herself with her hair, stood up and said to him: "O Rabbi, assist me." He replied' "Whose daughter art thou?" Upon which the answer came, "I am the daughter of Nakdimon b. Guryon." "Why, my daughter, what became of thy father's money?" asked he. She replied: "Is there not a saying in Jerusalem: 'The salt (means of preservation) of wealth is its diminution [by charitable deeds,] and some say through benevolence." "And what of thy father-in-law's money?" he asked again. "Ah," repriel she, "one destroyed the other." "Rabbi," she continued," dost thou not remember signing my marriage contract?" "I remember," said he [turning] to his disciples. "When I signed her marriage contract, I read in it that her father gave her a dowry of one million golden denars besides that of her father-in-law's." R. Jochanan b. Zakkai then burst into tears and said: "Happy are ye, Israel. As long as ye perform the will of God, no nation or people can rule over thee; but when ye fail to perform the will of God ye are delivered into the hands of a humiliating nation and not only into the hands of a humiliating nation, but also into the hands of the beasts of the humiliating nation!" Did then Nakdimon b. Guryon not give sufficient charity? Behold we are taught in a Baraitha: It was said of Nakdimon b. Guryon that when he left his house to go to the house of study [the entire road] would be spread out with fine woolens (Fol. 67) which the poor people used to fold up behind him [for their own use.] If you wish I will interpret this that he did it only for his own honor, and if you wish I will explain that this de did not do sufficient according to his means, as people say: "According to the camel the load (the greater the man the greater the responsibility). We are taught in a Baraitha that R. Elazzar b. Zadak said: "May I so live to see the consolation, as I saw her in Akku picking barley from between the hoofs of the horses. I then applied to her the following passage (Songs 1, 8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids, etc., i.e., do not read g'diyothayich (thy kids), but read it g'viyothayich (thy body)."
(Ib) Our Rabbis were taught: When a male orphan and a female orphan apply for support, the female orphan should be supported first and afterwards the male orphan, because it is customary for a man to go begging at the doors, but it is not customary for a woman to go begging at the doors. When a male orphan and a female orphan come and apply for [assistance] to be married we must first help the female orphan to marry and afterwards the male orphan, because the shame of a woman [unwedded] is greater than that of a man. Our Rabbis were taught: When an orphan comes and wants to marry, we (the charities) first rent a house for him, have it furnished and then we provide a wife for him, as it is said (Deut. 15, 8) Sufficient for his need, which requireth for him; i.e., sufficient for his need means a house; which requireth, means a bed, table, etc; for him, refers to a wife, and so says the passage ([en. 2, 18) I will make him a help meet for him.
Our Rabbis were taught (Deut. 15, 8) Sufficient for his needs i.e., you are commanded to support him, but you are not commanded to enrich him. Which requireth for him; i.e., even a horse to ride on and a slave to run before him [in his honor.] It was related of Hillel the senior, (the Prince) who had bought a horse for a poor man of noble descent to ride upon and had hired a servant to run before him; that one day he could not find a servant who should run before him and he himself ran before the poor man for three miles. Our Rabbis were taught: It once happened with the inhabitants of the Upper Gallilians that they bought a pound of meat every day for a poor of noble descent of Sepphoris. What is remarkable about a pound of meat? Said R. Huna: "It was a pound of poultry" [which was very dear.] And if you wish I will say that it was indeed ordinary meat. But R. Ashi explained its remarkableness, because it occurred in a small village and every day they spoiled a beast on account of him. A certain man came before R. Nechemia [for help.] The latter asked him: "On what dost thou usually dine?" "On fat meat and old wine," came the reply. "Will you bear with me when I offer you only lentils?" He tried to live with him on lentils and died. Whereupon R. Nechemia said: "Woe unto him that was killed by Nechemia!" On the contrary: "Woe unto Nechemia that killed this man," he should have said. Because he should not have reared himself so delicately [and thus prevented his death.] A poor man once came to Raba. The latter asked him: "On what dost thou usually dine?" "On stuffed fowl and old wine," was the reply. "What!" said Raba, "art thou not concerned about being so burdensome to the community?" Whereupon he replied: "I eat nothing belonging to them; only what the Lord provideth; as we are taught in a Baraitha (Ps. 145, 15) The eyes of all wait for Tee, and Thou givest them their food in due season. It is not said in their due season, but in his due season. Infer from this that the Holy One, praised be He! provides for each and every one in his season of need." While they were thus talking, Raba's sister, who had not seen him for thirteen years, came to visit him and brought with her a present of a stuffed fowl and some old wine. "What is this before me?" said Raba [marveling at the coincidence], and [turning to the man] he then said: "I beg thy pardon, friend; rise, I pray thee, and eat."
Our Rabbis were taught: "If one has no means and refuses to be supported [by the charities,] he is to be supported in the way of a loan which is thereafter to remain as a present." So says R. Maier. The other sages, however, maintain that he is to be supported in the way of a present and thereafter it is to become a loan. How can we give him [charity] as a present when he refuses to except it? Raba said: "It means that he is first offered support in the way of real charity." If one has means but refuses to support himself, [preferring to starve himself,] he is to be given support in the way of a present and afterwards it is to be collected from him. If we collect from him he will then refuse to accept it again? R. Papa said: "This refers to the time after his death." R. Simon says: "If one has means but refuses to supply himself (preferring starvation,] we are not obliged to help him; if one has no means and refuses to be supported [by charities], we say to him, 'Bring a pawn and take a loan,' in order that his mind be elevated.' "
Mar Ukba had a poor man in his vicinity for whom he used to put four zuzim in the slot underneath the door every day. One day the poor man said: "I will go and watch who does me such a favor." On that day Mar Ukba was detained until late in the college, whereupon his wife accompanied him [to the house of the poor man.] As soon as the poor man noticed that they stooped downward, as if to put something in the slot underneath the door, he went out to meet them. The latter commenced to run from him until they entered a fireplace from which the fire had been scraped. Mar Ukba's feet commenced to burn, when his wife said to him: "Take thy feet and place them upon my feet." After he had done so he felt discouraged [that his wife had to protect him.] His wife said to him: "It is because I am constantly in the house and the charity which I offer to the poor is ready to enjoy [like bread and other foods."] But why did they go to such an extent? Because Mar Zutra b. Tubia said in the name of Rab; (others say R. Chanan b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon the pious, still others say R. Jochanan said it in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai): "A man should rather have himself surrendered [to be thrown] into a furnace than put his neighbor to shame in public." We infer this from Tamar, concerning whom it is written (Gen. 38, 25) When she was brought forth, etc.
Mar Ukba had a poor man in his neighborhood to whom he was accustomed to send four hundred zuzim on the eve of every day of Atonement. Once he sent it through his own son, who returned [with the money,] saying: "He does not need it." Upon his father's question: "What hast thou seen that makes you believe so?" he replied: "I have seen that he was indulging himself in expensive old wine." "If he is used to such comforts," remarked his father, ["then he surely needs more."] He doubled the amount and sent it to him. He once felt happy and ordered that the charitable accounts be brought before him; and when he found [that the total amount] written there was seven thousand Sian [gold] denars, he exclaimed: "My provision [for the journey] is scanty, while the journey is a distant one." He thereupon gave away [to charity] one-half of his wealth. How did he do it? Has not Ilai said that in Usha it was ordained that one should not spend on charity more than a tenth of his estate? This refers only during one's life, but as to the time of death there is no limit.
R. Abba used to wrap up some denars in his scarf and throw them backward. He would arrange to be near the poor, while keeping an eye [to watch it] against deceivers. R. Chanina had a poor man in his neighborhood to whom he was accustomed to send four hundred zuzim on every Saturday eve. Once he sent it through his wife, who returned [with the money], saying: "He does not need it." Upon R. Chanina's question: "What have you seen [that makes you think so?" she replied: "I heard he was asked: 'On what will you dine (Fol. 68) with the silver outfit, (vessels,) or with the gold outfit?'" Whereupon R. Chanina said: This is what R. Jochanan meant when he said: "Come, let us be thankful to the fraudulent poor, for if not for them we might have been committing sin every day, as it is said (Deut. 15, 9) And he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin in thee; and R. Chiya b. Rab of Difti was taught that R. Joshua b. Karcha said: 'He who closes his eyes to charity is considered as if he serves idols; for [concerning charity] it is written (Ib.) Beware that there be not a base thought (beliya'al) in thy heart, etc., and (concerning idolatry) it is written (Ib. 13, 14) Certain base fellows (Bliyaal) are gone out, etc. Just as in the former case Bliyaal refers to idolatry, so does it also in the latter case refer to idolatry."
Our Rabbis were taught: He [a beggar] who feigns blindness, or a swollen belly, or stimulates a hump, will not leave the world until he will actually become such.
(Fol. 69) R. Anan sent the following message unto R. Huna: "Huna, our friend, peace unto you! When that woman will appear before you, you will please order to collect for her one-tenth of the estate." R. Shesheth was sitting before R. Huna [when the above message arrived.] R. Huna said to R. Shesheth: "Go and say to him the following: "And he should suffer a ban if he will not deliver the message, Anan, Anan! From real estate [shall I order to collect,] or from movable estate? Also [inform me] who sits at the head at the Marze'ach's meal?'" R. Shesheth [reluctantly] went to R. Anan and addressed him: "The master is my teacher, and R. Huna is the master's teacher, and if he would not have threatened with a ban [him who would not deliver the message] I would not have said it to the master: 'Anan, Anan, from real estate [should we order to collect,] or from movable property? And who sits at the head at the Marze'ah's meal?'" R. Anan thereupon went and complained before Mar Ukba, saying: "See master, how brusque R. Huna sent to me, 'Anan, Anan,' and he asked me about Marze'ach which I do not know even the meaning of the word," "Tell me (Ib. b) the entire story," the latter said to him. Whereupon he informed him that so and so was the case. "Oh," remarked Mar Ukba, "a man who knows not the meaning of Marze-ach ought not address R. Huna, our friend. Marze'ach means mourner, as it is written (Jer. 16, 5) For thus saith the Lord: Enter not into the house of mourning (Marze'ach)," etc. R. Abahu said: "Whence do we infer that a mourner is to sit at the head [when he eats the mourner's meal?] It is said (Job 29, 25) I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. The word yenachem (comforteth) intimates to being comforted by others, [hence it refers to the mourner himself."] R. Nachman b. R. Isaac disputed this and said: "It is written in the passive mood," [hence it refers to the visitors.]. Mar Zutra said: "We infer it from the following (Amos 6, 7) And the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away; i.e., he who is bitter [of soul] and distracted through bereavement is made the chief of those banqueting."