So Judah fed him, though later he expressed regret that he had fed such an unlettered beggar. Judah undertook to discover the beggar s identity. Indeed, as his son had said, the beggar had been Rabbi Jonathan ben Amran, a well-known scholar. After that, Rabbi Judah fed all those who came asking for food. We heard in the first lesson a very familiar phrase to many of us that we men, women, and children do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Bread fills our bellies.
God s word fills the emptiness of our lives. We grow hungry hours after we eat a satisfying meal, while the bread of heaven, the word made flesh given for us satisfies to eternal life. Rabbi Judah learned the error of his ways and became less judging, more humble, and freer to give his wealth to all in need. He surrendered his idea of who was worth feeding and thereby saving. He learned to give to anyone who asked for help.