The ninth precept is to show kindness to the poor and to provide them with their needs, as it is written: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; that is, “let us make man”, as a compound being, including the male and female, “in our image”, to wit, the rich; “after our likeness”, to wit, the poor.
For the rich are from the male side and the poor from the female. For as the male and the female act in cooperation, showing compassion to each other and mutually exchanging benefits and kindnesses, so must man here below act rich and poor in co-operation, bestowing gifts upon each other and showing kindness to each other.
We have seen the following mystical observation in the Book of King Solomon. He who of his own impulse shows pity to the poor will retain for ever unchanged the original form of the first man, and by that impress of the likeness of Adam he will exercise dominion over all creatures of the world. This is implied in the words: “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, etc.” (Gen. 9, 2), that is, all and every one will be in fear and in dread of that image which characterises man.
For this is a noble precept, by means of which man can rise in the image of Adam above all other creatures. This we know from Nebuchadnezzar who, in spite of the dream that he had seen, as long as he showed mercy to the poor suffered no evil effects; but as soon as he selfishly neglected the poor, what do we read about him? “While the word was in the King’s mouth, etc.” (Dan. 4, 28), his image changed and he was driven from men….
פִּקּוּדָא תְּשִׁיעָאָה לְמֵיחַן לְמִסְכְּנֵי וּלְמֵיהַב לוֹן טַרְפָּא. דִּכְתִיב נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ. נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָ"ם, מְשׁוּתָּפָא כְּלַל דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. בְּצַלְמֵנוּ, עֲתִירֵי. כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ, מִסְכְּנֵי.
The ninth precept is to show kindness to the poor and to provide them with their needs, as it is written: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; that is, “let us make man”, as a compound being, including the male and female, “in our image”, to wit, the rich; “after our likeness”, to wit, the poor.
דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא עֲתִירֵי, וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָא מִסְכְּנֵי. כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן בְּשׁוּתְּפָא חֲדָא. וְחָס דָּא עַל דָּא, וְיָהִיב דָּא לְדָא וְגָמִיל לֵיהּ טִיבוּ, הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ לְתַתָּא לְמֶהֱוֵי עֲתִירָא וּמִסְכְּנָא בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא, וּלְמֵיהַב דָּא לְדָא וּלְגָמְלָאָה טוּבָא דָּא לְדָא.
For the rich are from the male side and the poor from the female. For as the male and the female act in cooperation, showing compassion to each other and mutually exchanging benefits and kindnesses, so must man here below act rich and poor in co-operation, bestowing gifts upon each other and showing kindness to each other.
וְיִרְדוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וְגו' רָזָא דְנָן חֲמֵינָן בְּסִפְרָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, דְּכָל מָאן דְחָס עַל מִסְכְּנֵי בִּרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא, לָא מִשְׁתַּנִי דִיוּקְנֵיהּ לְעָלָם מִדִּיּוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. וְכֵיוָן דְּדִיוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָ"ם אִתְרְשִׁים בֵּיהּ, שַׁלִּיט עַל כָּל בְּרִיָּין דְּעָלְמָא בְּהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ט׳:ב׳) וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְחִתְּכֶם יִהְיֶה עַל כָּל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְגו' כֻּלְהוּ זָעִין וְדָחֲלִין מֵהַהוּא דִיוּקְנָא דְּאִתְרְשִׁים בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּדָא הוּא פִּקּוּדָא מַעַלְיָא לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא בַּר נָשׁ בְּדִיוֹקְנֵיהּ דְּאָדָם עַל כָּל שְׁאָר פִּקּוּדִין.
We have seen the following mystical observation in the Book of King Solomon. He who of his own impulse shows pity to the poor will retain for ever unchanged the original form of the first man, and by that impress of the likeness of Adam he will exercise dominion over all creatures of the world. This is implied in the words: “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, etc.” (Gen. 9, 2), that is, all and every one will be in fear and in dread of that image which characterises man.
מְנָא לָן מִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַר (חייבא). אַף עַל גַּב דְּחָלַם הַהוּא חֶלְמָא, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּהֲוָה מֵיחַן לְמִסְכְּנֵי לָא שָׁרָא עֲלֵיהּ חֶלְמֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּאַטִיל עֵינָא בִישָׁא דְּלָא לְמֵיחַן לְמִסְכְּנֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (דניאל ד׳:כ״ח) עוֹד מִלְּתָא בְּפוּם מַלְכָּא וְגו', מִיָּד אִשְׁתְּנֵי דִּיוּקְנֵיהּ וְאַטְרִיד מִן בְּנֵי נְשָׁא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם. כְּתִיב הָכָא עֲשִׂיָה, וּכְתִיב הָתָם (רות ב׳:י״ט) שֵׁם הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ הַיּוֹם בּוֹעַז.
For this is a noble precept, by means of which man can rise in the image of Adam above all other creatures. This we know from Nebuchadnezzar who, in spite of the dream that he had seen, as long as he showed mercy to the poor suffered no evil effects; but as soon as he selfishly neglected the poor, what do we read about him? “While the word was in the King’s mouth, etc.” (Dan. 4, 28), his image changed and he was driven from men….