The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1919-08-27
A Sketch Of Relief Ac-
tons of Olden Times
COMMUNAL EFFORTS AND SO.
CIAL WORKERS NOT A MODERN
INNOVATION. EVEN FIELD SEC.
RETARIES KNOWN. THO BY AN
OTHER NAME.
BY PROF GoTTHARp DEUTscH

| line with his general anti-Semitic ten
dency, for while he was not an anti
Semitic in the sense of Drumont and
StOecker, he was the real pOpulariZer
of the term which means to present
the Jews as an inferior race. ''une
race incomplete" as he puts it. In
spite of all these prejudiced and pre-
conceived notions, the first book Of
Samuel, the Book of Daniel. JOseplius.
and contemporaries of his whose works
are lost, disprovc the charge. 1t is
fact, however. that the Jews, like
all oppressed peoples, during the long
period of their sufferings lost interest
in history, for people, Semitic or Aryan
alike, do not glory in unpleasant rec
objections.
To this fact il to be ascribed in the
first place the dearth of information
found in our old sources on communal
organizations. In addition, the re-
fasal of political rights and the fire.
quent explosions interfered with ii de-
velopment of traditions which is the
first basis of constitutional law. Never
theless, people living life with com
men ideals and aspirations are bound
to develop some kind of cooperative
method, and so the Jews had Organi-
cations. created for the purpose of do
ing what the individual could not do
unassistcd. or what cclld be better ac-
complished by cooperation. The car
,,inal virtues enumerated IN the Mish-
nah (Peah, i. ~ include acts of char
ity (Gemilut Hasadim) and the study
of the Torah. A Barayta which cam
not be much Younger presenting there
lore conditions as they existed not
later than the third century, mentions
among others specifically sheltering
tie strangers and visiting the sick.
These acts could, of course, be per-
formed by individuals, but we have
clear evidence that there were Orgnni-
cations for collective action. The
sources mention two distinct institu-
lions, the "Kuppah" (bOX) for weekly
distribution of help and for emergency
relief. and the "Tamhuy" (plate) for
distribution of food. For the admin-
istration of these institutions officers
we're appointed, and it may be a re-
lief for these successors in our days
to learn that as a rule they were not
very popular. \ critic of the charity
management of his own time claims
that jeremiah. predicting the punish
ircnt of Israel's oppressors, must sure
~ have meant the superintendent Of
charity Such an officer was then,
as he is today, often compelled to re-
fuse relief on the ground of insult
ficient funds. So we hear of Ben
Jamin, the Zaddik. that a poor widow
came to him, pleading for her seven
little orphans. Benjamin, the over
seer of charities, declared that the
Kuppah was empty. The woman an
swered in despair: then l and my
seven orphans will have to starve to
death This was too much for Ben
iamin, and he helped her from his
own pocket No wonder that the of
flee of superintendent of charities
was not greatly coveted. A AIidrash
tells lis that Elimelech was the sup
crintendent of charities in his city.
and when the terrible famine struck
the town, he could not endure all the
stories of woe that We're daily brought
to him. and therefore he emigrated to
Moab We can therefore understand
that a rabbi said there is more merit
in overseeing the distribution of char
ity than in giving. The rabbinic law
speaks of an assessment made for the
support of the poor (Megillah, 27a.)
This would seem to have come to be a
necessity, for the poor, especially the
transient had become so numerous
that humor seized upon them, calling
them flying guests" and that wealthy
households required special servant
TO take care of them. The synagog
lad an annex where the homeless
would find shelter. Naturally relief
Of the destitute was not the only Oh
ject which required systematized pro.
vision, for the family of deceased
would hardly ever be in a mental atti.
tude to take care of their duty. and in
frequent cases, would be unable to do
so. So We hear of regular burial
society in Talmudic times which