The Roman general Turanus Rufus asked of Rabbi Akiva,T. If your God loves the poor, why does He not sustain them?
A. So that by giving them charity, we may be saved from the punishment in the World to Come.
T. On the contrary! You will be punished for transgressing God's will. It is analogous to a case of a king who was angry at his servant, confined him in prison, and ordered that no one feed him. One who provides the slave should be put to death. And you Jews are called servants of God.
A. No, Jews are called children of God, and this is similar to a king who was angry at his son, but one man still fed him, which made the king happy.
T. You are called children when you do God's will, but now you are in exile.
A. Then we should surely feed the poor because "You will break your bread for the hungry when captors (Romans) come to your house..."
Art: Alms to the Poor by Martin Drolling
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