The Chesed Trust Fund Printed with permission from "The Chesed Boomerang" by Jack Doueck www.judaicapress.com The Torah states (Exodus 22:24): “When you lend money to My people, the poor man that is with you...”. Rabbi Mosheh Alshech has made an interesting analogy: Imagine a man with a big family, who, in his will, left all of his money and possessions to one of his sons. Actually, the man had really intended to appoint this son a trustee, since it is reasonable to assume that he would not cut off the rest of his children without anything. The one son, in effect, is holding a trust fund for each of the other children. When God gives one person wealth, the amount of money in excess of his needs is a trust fund, deposited by God. God has, in effect, appointed him to administer it, take pity on the poor and unfortunate. After all, is it reasonable to assume that God would make one of His children rich and cut off the rest of His children? Aren’t we all the children of God? The rich are thus the trustees to support the poor. The verse above (Exod. 22:24) implies this by saying that the poor is “with you”. As if to say, whatever the poor man really needs belongs to him. It is deposited with you on his behalf. Therefore, you must not withhold it from him. Return to 'Our Tradition' Menu