Page 158 - Wisdom and Sound Advice from the Torah

WISDOM AND SOUND ADVICE FROM THE TORAH

him as would a fa ther, and from my birth I guid ed the wid -
ow—if I have seen any one per ish ing for lack of cloth ing, or

a needy man with out a gar ment, and his heart did not bless
me for warm ing him with the fleece from my sheep, if I have
raised my hand against the fa ther less, know ing that I had in -
flu ence in court, then let my arm fall from the shoul der, let it
be bro ken off at the joint. For I dread ed de struc tion from
God, and for fear of his splen dor I could not do such things.
(Job, 31:16-23)

Blessed is he who has re gard for the weak; the Lord de liv ers
him in times of troub le. (Psalms, 41:1)

A rul er who op press es the poor is like a driv ing rain that
leaves no crops. (Proverbs, 28:3)

He who gives to the poor will lack noth ing, but he who clos -
es his eyes to them re ceives many curs es. (Proverbs, 28:27)

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry

out and not be an swered. (Proverbs, 21:13)

A gen er ous man will him self be bless ed, for he shares his
food with the poor. (Proverbs, 22:9)

Is it not to share your food with the hun gry and to pro vide
the poor wan der er with shel ter—when you see the na ked, to
clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and
blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and
your heal ing will quick ly ap pear; then your right eous ness will
go be fore you, and the glo ry of the Lord will be your rear

guard. (Isaiah, 58:7-8)

... And if you spend your selves in be half of the hun gry and

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