האם יש לנו אחריות על העוני?

בדף לימוד זה ננסה להבין את תופעת העוני אצל ילדים ונוער, נשאל האם יש לנו אחריות חברתית או קהילתית וננסה לחשוב האם אנחנו יכולים וצריכים לעשות משהו. הלימוד יצמח מתוך מצוות השמיטה. הלימוד מיועד לצעירים ונוער ללא רקע קודם

^{בדף לימוד זה נדבר על תופעת העוני אצל ילדים ונוער, נשאל האם יש לנו אחריות חברתית או קהילתית וננסה לחשוב האם אנחנו יכולים וצריכים לעשות משהו.

הלימוד יצמח מתוך מצוות השמיטה.}
^{הלימוד מיועד לצעירים ולנוער.}

שאלות לדיון:

אילו קשיים עולים מהכתבה?
האם אתם מרגישים אחריות כלפי המצב שמתואר?
האם היו דברים שהפתיעו אתכם?
האם העוני הוא רק כספי? האם ואיך העוני משפיע על שאר תחומי החיים?

דברים ט״ו:א׳-י״א

(א) מִקֵּ֥ץ שֶֽׁבַע־שָׁנִ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה שְׁמִטָּֽה׃ (ב) וְזֶה֮ דְּבַ֣ר הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ שָׁמ֗וֹט כׇּל־בַּ֙עַל֙ מַשֵּׁ֣ה יָד֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַשֶּׁ֖ה בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹֽא־יִגֹּ֤שׂ אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ וְאֶת־אָחִ֔יו כִּֽי־קָרָ֥א שְׁמִטָּ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) אֶת־הַנׇּכְרִ֖י תִּגֹּ֑שׂ וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ תַּשְׁמֵ֥ט יָדֶֽךָ׃...
(ז) כִּֽי־יִהְיֶה֩ בְךָ֨ אֶבְי֜וֹן מֵאַחַ֤ד אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֑ךְ לֹ֧א תְאַמֵּ֣ץ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֗ וְלֹ֤א תִקְפֹּץ֙ אֶת־יָ֣דְךָ֔ מֵאָחִ֖יךָ הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (ח) כִּֽי־פָתֹ֧חַ תִּפְתַּ֛ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ ל֑וֹ וְהַעֲבֵט֙ תַּעֲבִיטֶ֔נּוּ דֵּ֚י מַחְסֹר֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֶחְסַ֖ר לֽוֹ׃ (ט) הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־הַשֶּׁ֘בַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃ (י) נָת֤וֹן תִּתֵּן֙ ל֔וֹ וְלֹא־יֵרַ֥ע לְבָבְךָ֖ בְּתִתְּךָ֣ ל֑וֹ כִּ֞י בִּגְלַ֣ל ׀ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדֶֽךָ׃ (יא) כִּ֛י לֹא־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אֶבְי֖וֹן מִקֶּ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּ֠תֹ֠חַ תִּפְתַּ֨ח אֶת־יָדְךָ֜ לְאָחִ֧יךָ לַעֲנִיֶּ֛ךָ וּלְאֶבְיֹנְךָ֖ בְּאַרְצֶֽךָ׃ {ס}

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

(1) Every seventh year you shall practice remission of debts. (2) This shall be the nature of the remission: every creditor shall remit the due that he claims from his fellow; he shall not dun his fellow or kinsman, for the remission proclaimed is of the LORD. (3) You may dun the foreigner; but you must remit whatever is due you from your kinsmen. (4) There shall be no needy among you—since the LORD your God will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion— (5) if only you heed the LORD your God and take care to keep all this Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day. (6) For the LORD your God will bless you as He has promised you: you will extend loans to many nations, but require none yourself; you will dominate many nations, but they will not dominate you. (7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. (9) Beware lest you harbor the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt. (10) Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. (11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.

שאלות לדיון:

מי מצווה לפתוח את היד ולמי?
לפי הבנתכם למה הכוונה ב"פתח תפתח את ידך לאחיך ולעניך ולאבינך"
מה המצווה דורשת מכל אחד מהצדדים?

אחת ממצוות השמיטה היא שמיטת כספים, כך שבשנת השמיטה המקראית אדם אשר לא מסוגל להחזיר את ההלוואה שלקח לא מחויב להחזיר אותה. כתוצאה מכך, היו אנשים שלא רצו לתת הלוואות לפני שנת השמיטה מפני שחששו שההלוואה לא תחזור אליהם. מפסוקים אלו עולה הדרישה ברורה שאין להשאיר אדם נזקק בחוסר, יש לעזור ככל שניתן.

דרישה זו היא לא דרישה פשוטה, ננסה לעמוד על המורכבות שלה בהמשך הלימוד

כתובות ס״ז ב

מר עוקבא הוה עניא בשיבבותיה דהוה רגיל כל יומא דשדי ליה ארבעה זוזי בצינורא דדשא יום אחד אמר איזיל איחזי מאן קעביד בי ההוא טיבותא ההוא יומא נגהא ליה למר עוקבא לבי מדרשא אתיא דביתהו בהדיה כיון דחזיוה דקא מצלי ליה לדשא נפק בתרייהו רהוט מקמיה עיילי לההוא אתונא דהוה גרופה נורא הוה קא מיקליין כרעיה דמר עוקבא אמרה ליה דביתהו שקול כרעיך אותיב אכרעאי חלש דעתיה

אמרה ליה אנא שכיחנא בגויה דביתא ומקרבא אהנייתי ומאי כולי האי דאמר מר זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא בר ביזנא אמר ר"ש חסידא ואמרי לה א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי נוח לו לאדם שימסור עצמו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חברו ברבים מנא לן מתמר דכתיב (בראשית לח, כה)

מַר עֻקְבָּא – הָיָה עָנִי בִּשְׁכוּנָתוֹ,

וְהָיָה רָגִיל בְּכָל יוֹם לִזְרֹק לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה זוּזִים בְּצִנּוֹר הַדֶּלֶת.

פַּעַם אַחַת אָמַר: אֵלֵךְ וְאֶרְאֶה מִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמִּי טוֹבָה זוֹ.

אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שָׁהָה מַר עֻקְבָּא בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַרְבֵּה וְהָלְכָה אִשְׁתּוֹ עִמּוֹ.

כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָם הֶעָנִי שֶׁהִטּוּ עַצְמָם לַדֶּלֶת – יָצָא אַחֲרֵיהֶם.

בָּרְחוּ וְנִכְנְסוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם לְתַנּוּר גָּרוּף, נִכְווּ רַגְלָיו שֶׁל מַר עֻקְבָּא.

אָמְרָה לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ: תֵּן רַגְלֶיךָ עַל רַגְלַי.

חָלְשָׁה דַּעְתּוֹ.

אָמְרָה לוֹ: אֲנִי מְצוּיָה בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת וַהֲנָאָתִי קְרוֹבָה.

וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה?

מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאָמְרוּ: נוֹחַ לוֹ לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּמְסֹר עַצְמוֹ לְתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ וְאַל יַלְבֵּן פְּנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ בָּרַבִּים.

Ketubot 67b

who have come to appeal to the charity fund to be married off, the administrators marry off the orphan girl first and afterward they marry off the orphan boy, because the humiliation of a woman who is not married is greater than that of an unmarried man. The Sages taught: Concerning an orphan boy who has come to marry, the community tries its utmost to provide for all of his needs. The charities rent a house for him, arrange for him a bed and all his utensils, and thereafter they marry him a wife, as it is stated: “But you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his deficiency in that which is deficient for him” (Deuteronomy 15:8). With regard to the phrase “sufficient for his deficiency,” this is referring to the house. “Which is deficient”; this is referring to a bed and table. “For him [lo]”; this is referring to a wife. And similarly the verse states: “I will make him [lo] a helpmate for him” (Genesis 2:18), when God created a wife for Adam. Concerning this issue, the Sages taught: “Sufficient for his deficiency”; this teaches that you are commanded with respect to the pauper to support him, but you are not commanded with respect to him to make him wealthy, as the obligation encompasses only that which he lacks, as indicated by the word deficient. However, the verse also states: “Which is deficient for him”; this includes even a horse upon which to ride and a servant to run in front of him for the sake of his stature, if necessary. For someone accustomed to these advantages, their absences constitute a true deficiency, not an extravagant indulgence. The Gemara relates: They said about Hillel the Elder that he obtained for a poor person of noble descent a horse upon which to ride and a servant to run in front of him. One time he did not find a servant to run in front of him, and Hillel himself ran in front of him for three mil, to fulfill the dictate “which is deficient for him.” The Sages taught: There was an incident involving the people of the Upper Galilee, who bought for a poor person of noble descent from the city of Tzippori a litra of meat every day. The Gemara asks: If they provided him with the reasonable ration of a litra of meat, what is the novelty in this incident? Why does it bear repeating? Rav Huna said: It was a litra of meat of poultry, which is very expensive. And if you wish, say instead that for the weight of a litra of coins, they bought him actual red meat. The price of ordinary meat was so expensive that they had to pay the exorbitant price of a litra of coins. Rav Ashi said they did not spend a litra of coins for him. Rather, there, in the Galilee, it was a small village, and every day they would lose an entire animal just for him. They would slaughter an animal daily, simply to provide him with fresh meat, although there was otherwise no market for such a plentiful supply of meat in the village. The Gemara relates another incident concerning charity. A certain person came before Rabbi Neḥemya to request charity. He said to him: On what do you normally dine? He said to him: I usually dine on fatty meat and aged wine. Rabbi Neḥemya asked him: Is it your wish to belittle yourself and partake together with me in a meal of lentils, which is my regular food? He partook with him of lentils, and he died, since he was not accustomed to this food. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Woe to this one who was killed by Neḥemya. The Gemara wonders: On the contrary, Rabbi Neḥemya should have said: Woe to Neḥemya who killed this one. The Gemara responds: Rather, Rabbi Neḥemya meant that it was he, the pauper, who should not have pampered himself so much. The poor man was to blame for his own death. His excessive indulgence rendered him incapable of digesting simple foods such as lentils. The Gemara relates another story. A certain person came before Rava to request charity. He said to him: On what do you normally dine? He said to him: On a fattened hen and aged wine. He said to him: And were you not concerned for causing a burden to the community by expecting such opulent foods? He said to him: Is that to say that it is from their funds that I eat? I eat from the support of the Merciful One. This would seem to be a reasonable argument, as we already learned that in the verse “the eyes of all wait for You, and You give them their food in its time” (Psalms 145:15), the phrase: At their time, is not stated, rather “in its time.” This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives each and every one his personally appropriate sustenance at its proper time, and the community is merely His agent in discharging His will. Therefore, the man is justified in maintaining his standard. In the meantime, while they were talking, Rava’s sister, who had not seen him for thirteen years, came. And as a gift, she brought him a fattened hen and aged wine. Rava said to himself: What is this that happened in front of me that suddenly I am brought food that I do not usually eat? He then understood that this was a providential response to what he had earlier said to the man. Rava said to him: I have responded [na’aneti] to your contention. Arise and eat. § The Sages taught: If an individual does not have sufficient means of support and does not want to be supported from charity funds, the charities provide him funds as a loan in a dignified manner, and then they go back and give the funds to him as a gift; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: They give him funds as a gift, and then they go back and give the funds to him as a loan. The Gemara wonders about the Rabbis’ ruling: How can we give it as a gift? After all, he does not want to take it as a gift. The Gemara answers that Rava said: The Rabbis’ instruction is to begin discussions with him by offering the assistance as a gift. If he refuses, the charities give it to him as a loan, but they treat it as a gift and refrain from attempting to collect a debt. If he has sufficient funds of his own but does not want to support himself by his own funds without the assistance of charity, the charities give him aid as a gift, and then they go back and collect the debt from him. The Gemara asks: How can the administrators of the fund go back and collect from him? Would their efforts not be in vain, as subsequently he would not take their support, knowing that he would still have to pay for it? Rav Pappa said: The charities collect the accrued debt from his estate only after his death. The baraita continues: Rabbi Shimon says, disputing the opinion of the Rabbis: If he has sufficient funds and does not want to be supported by his own means, they do not get involved with him, as the community is not obligated to support him. If he does not have and does not want to be supported from charity, the charities say to him: Bring collateral and take a loan, so that his mindset should be raised for him, with the false impression that he is not receiving a handout. The Gemara cites a dispute related to the previous discussions. The Sages taught in a baraita with regard to the double expression in the Torah: “You shall open your hand to him [ha’avet ta’avitenu]” (Deuteronomy 15:8). “Ha’avet”; this is referring to one who does not have funds and does not want to be supported by charity. The policy is that the charities provide him funds as a loan and go back and give the funds to him as a gift. “Ta’avitenu”; this is referring to one who has means and does not want to support himself. The policy is that the charities provide money as a gift, and then they go back and collect from his estate after his death. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. The baraita continues: And the Rabbis say: If he has money and does not want to support himself, they do not get involved with him. The baraita asks: How then do I uphold the double expression “ha’avet ta’avitenu”? The baraita answers: The Torah spoke in the language of men, and the double form does not have halakhic significance. The Gemara recounts another incident related to charity. Mar Ukva had a pauper in his neighborhood, and Mar Ukva was accustomed every day to toss four dinars for him into the slot adjacent to the hinge of the door. One day the poor person said: I will go and see who is doing this service for me. That day Mar Ukva was delayed in the study hall, and his wife came with him to distribute the charity. When the people in the poor man’s house saw that someone was turning the door, the pauper went out after them to see who it was. Mar Ukva and his wife ran away from before him so that he would not determine their identity, and they entered a certain furnace whose fire was already raked over and tempered but was still burning. Mar Ukva’s legs were being singed, and his wife said to him: Raise your legs and set them on my legs, which are not burned. Understanding that only his wife was spared from burns, because she was more worthy, Mar Ukva became distraught. By way of explanation, she said to him: I am normally found inside the house, and when I give charity, my assistance is ready and immediate, insofar as I distribute actual food items. Since you distribute money, which is not as readily helpful, my aid is greater than yours. The Gemara asks: And what is all this? Why did they go to such extreme lengths to avoid being discovered? The Gemara answers: It is as Mar Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said, and some say that Rav Huna bar Bizna said that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida said, and some say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: It is preferable for a person to deliver himself into a fiery furnace so that he not whiten the face of, i.e., embarrass, his friend in public. From where do we derive this? From the conduct of Tamar, as it is written: “And Judah said: Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man, whose these are, am I with child” (Genesis 38:24–25). Although Tamar was taken to be executed by burning, she privately and directly appealed to Judah, rather than publicly identifying him as the father of her unborn children and causing him embarrassment. The Gemara relates another incident involving Mar Ukva. Mar Ukva had another pauper in his neighborhood, and Mar Ukva was accustomed to send to him four hundred dinars every year on the eve of Yom Kippur. One day he sent the money to him by the hand of his son. The son returned and said to him: The poor individual does not need the charity. Mar Ukva said: What did you see that prompted you to say this? He said to him: I saw them spilling old wine on the ground for him, to give the room a pleasant smell. Mar Ukva said: If he is pampered this much and requires even this luxury, then he needs even more money. He doubled the funds and sent them to him. When Mar Ukva was dying, he said: Bring me my charity records. He found that it was written there that he had given seven thousand fine, siankei, i.e., gold, dinars, to charity. He said: My provisions are light, and the way is far. This meager sum is insufficient for me to merit the World-to-Come. He got up and spent half of his remaining money on charity. The Gemara asks: How did he do this? But didn’t Rabbi Ilai say: In Usha they instituted: One who spends money on charity, he should not spend more than one-fifth of his money for this purpose. The Gemara answers: This restriction on giving too much charity applies only while he is alive, because perhaps he will descend from his holdings and become destitute. Therefore, for his own financial security, he should never distribute more than one-fifth. But after death, we have no problem with it. One need not save money in his estate anymore. The Gemara recounts more stories related to charity. Rabbi Abba would wrap coins in his scarf and toss the money behind him over his shoulder. And he would place himself at the homes of the poor without being seen, so the poor could receive the aid without being embarrassed. And he would incline his eyes just enough so he could safeguard the handouts from swindlers who might take the money dishonestly. Rabbi Ḥanina knew a certain pauper and was accustomed to send to him four dinars on every Shabbat eve. One day he sent it in the hand of his wife. She came back home and said to him: The man does not need charity. Rabbi Ḥanina asked her: What did you see that prompted you to say this? She said to him: I heard them saying to him inside the house: With what do you normally dine:

שאלות לדיון:

מה קרה בסיפור?
למה לדעתכם העני יצא לכיוון של מר עוקבא ואשתו? מה הוא רצה לומר להם?
למה הם ברחו?
למה המעשה של אשתו של מר עוקבא עדיף? למה היא מתכוונת בתשובתה ש"אני מצויה בתוך הבית והנאתי קרובה"?

האם אתם רואים קשר בין הסיפור למצוות השמיטה?

מה ההבדל בין הנתינה של אשתו של מר עוקבא לשלו? מה אנחנו למדים מכך?

יש חשיבות גדולה לנתינת צדקה, אבל הסיפור של מר עוקבא ואשתו מציג את המורכבות שבנתינת הצדקה, שבה גם מצוות השמיטה עוסקת.

הסיפור מראה את הבושה הגדולה שיש למקבלי הצדקה, אדם אשר מגיע למצב שבו הוא נדרש לבקש נדבות נמצא במצב מביש.

מר עוקבא במעשיו רצה לעשות טוב ולתת צדקה לאנשים הנזקקים אבל הם מפאת הבושה ברחו. הסיפור מציג את החשיבות של מתן צדקה בדרך אחרת, אולי בדרך של קרבה והיכרות כמו דרכה של אשתו של מר עוקבא. היא מכירה את האנשים שהיא נותנת להם צדקה, היא לא עושה זאת ממקום של עליונות אלא מתוך קירבה. לכאורה דרכו של מר עוקבא שבה הוא מוכן להיכנס לכבשן ולא להלבין את פני העני ברבים מוצגת בחיוב, אבל הכאב והאכזבה של העני גדולים יותר.

הבטחת קיומה של השכבה הענייה/ מקור חיים
מצוות השמיטה בכללותה קשורה ושזורה במכלול מצוות אחרות שנועדו לתת לעם ישראל ולמדינתו יציבות כלכלית ע"י הבטחת קיומה של השכבה הענייה. ביארנו שהארץ נחלקה לשבטים, איש לפי פיקודיו ניתנה נחלתו, לרב הרבו ולמעט המעיטו. עני שמאיזו סיבה שהיא מטה ידו, יכול היה להתפרנס, מלקט שכחה פאה ומעשר עני, וכן ממצות הצדקה. "פתוח תפתח את ידך לאחיך". נזקק להלוואה, אל תיקח מאיתו נשך ותרבית - "וחי אחיך עימך". "קרבה שנת השבע שנת השמיטה" - ניפטר העני מדאגת פרנסה, כל פרי האדמה עומד לרשותו לפרנסת ביתו, ואם לא הצליח לסלק את חובותיו באה השמיטה ומשמטת הכל - "לא יגוש את רעהו ואת אחיו". אם גם זה לא עזר לו ומכר אדמותיו, או הגרוע מכל מכר עצמו לעבד באה שנת היובל ושחררה עבדים והחזירה אדמות לבעליהן, וחוזר אדם ומתחיל חייו מחדש.
מקור חיים - פרק ה', שמיטת כספים, לרב חיים דוד הלוי מחכמי ירושלים, כיהן כרב הראשי לת"א-יפו (1998-1924)

שאלות לדיון:

מה הייתרונות של מצוות השמיטה לפי הקטע?
האם לדעתכם היא רלוונטית להיום?

הקטע עומד על החשיבות שבמצוות השמיטה עבור השכבה הענייה בחברה. פעם בשבע שנים העניים מקבלים שנה ללא דאגות כלכליות ובה הם יכולים להתייצב כלכלית, להתקיים ללא מחסור ודאגה.

מהותה של המצווה היא להצליח לשמור על יציבות כלכלית בחברה, ובעזרת "שנת איפוס" שבה העניים מייצבים את מצבם הם יכולים להתחיל את חייהם מחדש.

התיאור של מצוות השמיטה הוא אוטופי ולא מתקיים באופן מלא במדינת ישראל. אנו כחברה וכיחידים בדרשים לשאול את עצמנו מה תפקידנו? האם יש לי כאדם פרטי יכולת לעזור ולתת לנזקקים אפשרות לשנות את חייהם? לצאת ממצב של עוני? חשוב להסתכל קרוב לביתנו ולראות מי האנשים שזקוקים לעזרה, אולי נוכל להיות יותר כמו אשתו של מר עוקבא ולתת צדקה ללא הלבנת פנים וגם מתוך קרבה. נתינת צדקה אשר "רואה" את האנשים שנזקקים. חשוב לזכור שכולנו זקוקים למשהו.

שנת השמיטה הקרובה היא הזדמנות לשאול את עצמנו מי אנחנו? ואיך אנחנו רוצים להתנהג בעולם.

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