Against Poverty- From the Torah to Secular Judaism 23

material not applicable after the destruction of the Temple and the end of Jewish national independence. He devoted a section to tzedakah and dealt with many details; giving in accordance with one’s means was obligatory as was the organization of collection and distribution wherever a community was established. Apostates were excluded, but not their family; an obvious sinner had to repent before receiving help. Jacob ben Asher was stricter in his test for eligibility. If the person took kupah, he needed to sell items of value(7ur, Yoreh Deah, Tzedakah, 253.1); on the other hand, he did not limit a poor person to 200 zuzim to be eligible as he felt that this sum may have been appropriate in the time of the Mishnah but was now too low for the current standard of living(7ur, Yoreh Deah, Hilkhot Tzedakah 253). He defined poverty to include anyone who did not possess sufficient capital to make a living. This step had already been taken by Isaac of Vienna(1180-1260), who felt that the limit of 200 zuzim had to be adjusted according to the need of the family; he also insisted that a tithe was the minimum charitable contribution(Or Zarua, Hilkhot Tzedakah). An unusually large charitable bequest was to be shared with neighboring communities(Or Zarua 20), and fines were often allocated for the welfare of the poor(Or Zarua 26). Moses of Coucy (13th century) insisted that even poor Jews be provided with bread, fish, meat, and wine(Semag II 16d), and the 7ur stated that if the donor recognized the person, he should treat him with the respect deserved(7zedakah, 250). The criteria of assessment were well summarized by Caro in his commentary to the Tur(Bet Yosef to Tur 250). Alfasi, Maimonides , and the later Codes insisted that a tithe was compulsory and used the threat of flogging, property seizure, and the ban in order to enforce this measure. Funds for their support were not accepted from non-Jews in contrast to gifts to synagogues. If such gifts were made, the community tried to channel them to the support of gentile poor.