Why the World Listens to the Rich Man

Ben Sira 14:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

Happy is the man whom his own mouth hath not troubled; And whose heart hath not condemned him (?).

Themes

WisdomPovertyAdam EveCharityDivine Justice

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Ben SiraNo Peace Between the Hyena and the DogBen Sira, in his wisdom, saw this dynamic playing out thousands of years ago. He uses sharp, almost brutal imagery to paint a picture of inequality. He starts wBen SiraThe Injustice of Unequal RelationshipsThe ancient wisdom of Ben Sira, also known as Ecclesiasticus, wrestles with these very imbalances. Ben Sira, in chapter 13, pulls no punches. He gets right to tExempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)Of the 60 dinars which a man earned he spent 20 for foodA man earned sixty dinars. He divided them into three equal portions: twenty for food, twenty for his house, and twenty he saved for his children. It was a sensExempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)Mar Ukbas LiberalityMar Ukba's generosity to the poor was extraordinary. But his method of giving was even more remarkable than the amounts. The Talmud (Ketubot 67b) records that hExempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)No Respect for RichIn the days when the Israelites brought their first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem, a remarkable custom prevailed. The wealthy arrived with their offerings dExempla of the Rabbis (Gaster, 1924)Exempla of the Rabbis, Tale 322The Midrash (Pesikta Rabbati 19, Tanhuma Pinehas) tells a cautionary tale about gluttony, the sin of making the stomach into a god, of subordinating every other