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--if only you heed the Lord your God and take care to keep all this Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day (Deuteronomy 15:4-5).

The line there shall be no needy among you is both predictive and prescriptive.

It indicates that there is plenty for all (if only it is allocated justly) and that there are systems that can ensure just allocation. However, the parashah goes on to emphasize that welfare systems must be coupled with compassion. A good system is not a substitute for a generous heart and open hands.

Alleviating Poverty

Parashat Re'eh outlines two systems by which poverty will be alleviated: remission of debt in the seventh year and the freeing of slaves. Both notions speak to ways in which poverty was perpetuated in biblical times, and to some degree, in modern life. Debt remains, in modern as in ancient times, both a vehicle for economic advancement and a potential trap.

In our society earning a decent living is often predicated on securing things beyond our immediate financial reach--education, transportation, and housing. We are encouraged to borrow to pay for both necessities and luxuries. Sometimes we have no recourse but to borrow in order to avoid homelessness, treat illness, or avoid utter destitution.

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