The Lantern

Sifrei Devarim110

Silverstein

(Devarim 14:29) "and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow that are in your gates": I might think (that they take poor-tithe) whether or not they are needy. And do not wonder about this, for it is written (Ibid. 24;17) "You shall not take as a pledge the garment of a widow" — whether rich or poor. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 23:22) "To the poor man and to the stranger shall you leave them." Just as a poor man is needy, so, all (to take poor-tithe) must be needy.

I might think (that they take poor-tithe) whether or not they are "children of the covenant"; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and the Levite" — Just as the Levite is a "child of the covenant," so, all must be "children of the covenant."

"and they shall eat and be sated": Give them enough to be sated — whence they ruled: The poor man is not to be given less in the threshing floor than a half kav of wheat or a kav of barley.

"who are in your gates": We are hereby taught that we do not send the poor out (of Eretz Yisrael to earn a living.)

They said: There was a (poor) family. Nevlatah, in Jerusalem to whom they gave six hundred talents of gold (to support themselves), not wanting to send them out of Jerusalem.