The Torah touches on this profoundly, urging us not to ignore the suffering of others. It's more than just a nice idea; it’s a core principle woven into the fabric of Jewish ethics.
Vayikra Rabbah, specifically section 34, delves into this idea through the verse from Isaiah (58:7): “When you see the naked, you clothe him.” Now, this isn't just about physical clothing. It's about providing for the needs of others, recognizing their inherent dignity, and acting with compassion.
There's a fascinating discussion in the text about how far we should investigate someone’s claims of poverty. Rabbi Ada bar Ahava, Rav, and Rabbi Yoḥanan have slightly different opinions. One opinion suggests we can investigate claims about clothing needs before giving, but not when someone asks for food. In the latter case, immediate help is paramount. However, the Sages go even further, saying that even regarding clothing, we shouldn't investigate, "due to the covenant of Abraham our patriarch." The idea is that it's simply undignified for Abraham’s descendants to be unclothed and lacking basic needs.
The text then pivots to another powerful line from (Isaiah 58:7): “Do not disregard your own flesh.” Bar Kappara beautifully interprets this as seeing "his flesh as your flesh." He even teaches that poverty can affect anyone – if not you, then your children, or your grandchildren. We should therefore see the poor as extensions of ourselves. We are all interconnected.
But here’s where the storytelling really takes off. The text provides two compelling narratives to illustrate this principle.
First, there’s the story of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili and his… challenging marriage. His wife apparently treated him poorly, even in front of his students. The students suggested he divorce her, but Rabbi Yosei felt trapped because he couldn't afford the divorce settlement (her ketubah (a marriage contract), or marriage contract).
One day, Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya visited. After witnessing the wife's behavior firsthand – and a little kitchen trickery involving vegetables and miraculously appearing chicken – Rabbi Elazar realized the severity of the situation. He, being wealthy, offered to pay the ketubah himself! Rabbi Yosei divorced his wife and remarried someone better.
But here's where the story gets truly poignant. The divorced wife later married the town watchman, who eventually went blind. Destitute, she led him around the city, begging for charity. She avoided Rabbi Yosei's neighborhood out of shame. One day, they inadvertently ended up there, and the husband, knowing Rabbi Yosei's reputation for kindness, insisted they approach him. The ensuing argument drew attention, and Rabbi Yosei, seeing their humiliation, took them in and cared for them for the rest of their lives. He did it because he didn't disregard his "own flesh."
The second story takes place during the time of Rabbi Tanchuma, when Israel was suffering from a drought. After multiple failed fasts, Rabbi Tanchuma instructed everyone to give charity. A man gave his money to his ex-wife, who was in dire straits. Someone saw this and, assuming something untoward was going on, reported it to Rabbi Tanchuma.
Rabbi Tanchuma confronted the man, who explained that he was simply following the instruction to "not disregard your own flesh." He saw his ex-wife's suffering and acted with compassion.
This act of mercy moved Rabbi Tanchuma so deeply that he turned to God and pleaded, "If this one, who is flesh and blood and cruel, and was not obligated in her sustenance, he became filled with mercy for her and gave her, we, who are the children of Your children, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and our sustenance is incumbent upon You, all the more so, that You should become filled with mercy for us."
And at that moment, the rain came.
These stories, rooted in Vayikra Rabbah, challenge us to expand our circle of compassion. It is a reminder that our responsibility extends beyond our immediate families and communities, encompassing even those with whom we have difficult or broken relationships. It compels us to see the humanity in everyone, regardless of their circumstances, and to act with empathy and generosity. What does it mean to truly see the "flesh" of another as your own? It’s a question worth pondering long after the rain has fallen.
“When you see the naked, you clothe him” (Isaiah 58:7). Rabbi Ada bar Ahava, Rav, and Rabbi Yoḥanan, one said: One investigates regarding garments, but one does not investigate regarding food.39If an individual claims to be poor and in need of clothing, one may investigate whether he is really poor before giving to him. However, if he says he needs food in order to survive, one must help even without investigation. The Sages say: Even regarding garments one does not investigate, due to the covenant of Abraham our patriarch.40It is demeaning for Abraham’s descendants to go around unclothed. “Do not disregard your own flesh” (Isaiah 58:7). Bar Kappara said: See his flesh as your flesh. Bar Kappara taught: There is no one who does not come to this condition; if not him, his son, if not his son, his grandson.41He should view the poor man as himself because the likelihood is that he or his descendants will eventually become poor. Another matter, “do not disregard your own flesh.” Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This is one’s divorcee. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili had an evil wife and she would demean him before his disciples. His disciples said to him: ‘Our teacher, leave this woman, as she does not accord you the appropriate honor.’ He said to them: ‘Her marriage contract is too much for me, and I do not have enough to give her.’ One time, he and Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya were sitting and studying. When they concluded, [Rabbi Yosei] said to him: ‘My master, listen to me and let us go up to my house.’ He said to him: ‘Okay.’ When they went up, she looked down in anger and exited. [Rabbi Yosei] saw a certain pot on the stove. He said to her: ‘Is there anything in that pot?’ She said to him: ‘There are cooked vegetables in it.’ He went and uncovered it and he found chicken in it. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya realized that she did not live in harmony with her husband. When they sat to eat, [Rabbi Yosei] said to her: ‘Did you not say cooked vegetables? I found chicken in it.’ She said: ‘They are the product of a miracle.’ When they ate what they ate, [Rabbi Elazar] said to him: ‘Leave this woman, as she does not accord you the appropriate honor.’ He said to him: ‘Her marriage contract is too much for me, and I do not have enough to give her.‘ He said to him: ‘We will pay her marriage contract. Leave her.’42Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, who was wealthy, offered to pay her marriage contract. They did so for him. They paid her marriage contract and he left her and married a different woman who was better than she. The sins of that woman caused her to go and marry the town watchman. Sometime later, suffering befell him, and that man went blind. His wife would lead him throughout the city.43She went to collect charity. She would go to all the neighborhoods, but to the neighborhood of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili she would not go. That man was well acquainted with the city. He said to her: ‘Why do you not lead me to the neighborhood of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, as I hear that he performs mitzvot?’ She said to him: ‘I am his divorcee and I cannot bring myself to see his face.’ It happened one time that they came to the neighborhood of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. He began striking her,44Presumably, he wanted to knock on Rabbi Yosei’s door and she refused (Etz Yosef). and their disgraced voices spread throughout the city. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili looked and saw them being disgraced in the street. He took them and situated them in a house that belonged to him, and he supported them all the days of their lives, due to “do not disregard your own flesh.” In the days of Rabbi Tanḥuma, Israel needed rain. They came to him and said to him: ‘Rabbi, decree a fast so that rain will come.’ He decreed a fast one time, and a second, but rain did not fall. The third time, he stood and addressed them and said: ‘Let the entire people distribute [money] for a mitzva.45Give charity. A certain man stood, took what he had in his house, and went out to distribute it. His divorcee encountered him and said to him: ‘Gain through this woman,46Give me the charity. who from the day that she left your house, has not seen goodness.’ When he saw her in tattered clothing and in great distress, he became filled with mercy for her, and he gave it to her, due to “do not disregard your own flesh.” A certain man saw this, and he went and said to Rabbi Tanḥuma: ‘Rabbi, you are here and sin is here.’ He said to him: ‘What did you see?’ He said to him: ‘I saw so-and-so man, who was speaking to his divorcee. Moreover, he gave her coins. If not that he was suspect in her regard, he would not have given her.’47The man assumed that the individual must be engaged in an illicit relationship with his divorcee. Rabbi Tanḥuma sent and had him brought. He said to him: ‘My son, you know that the world is in distress and the people are in distress, and you went and spoke with your divorcee? Moreover, you gave her coins. If not that you were suspect in her regard, you would not have given her.’ He said to him: ‘Did you not address [us and say]: “Do not disregard your own flesh.” You said: Let the entire people distribute [money] for a mitzva. I stood to distribute for a mitzva. My divorcee encountered me and said to me: Gain through this woman,48Give me the charity. who from the day that she left your house, has not seen goodness. When I saw her in tattered clothing and in great distress, I became filled with mercy for her, and I gave her, due to “do not disregard your own flesh.”’ At that moment Rabbi Tanḥuma lifted his face heavenward and said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, if this one, who is flesh and blood and cruel, and was not obligated in her sustenance, he became filled with mercy for her and gave her, we, who are the children of Your children, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and our sustenance is incumbent upon You, all the more so, that You should become filled with mercy for us.’ At that moment, rain fell and the world was relieved.
