Charlie, if a person deliberately becomes poor there is no obligation to help him (Sifre Behar 5,Sefer Chasidim (Margalit) 61, Responsa Chatam Sofer 5 (Choshen Mishpat)174). Moreover, as I previously posted, the existence of these programs creates an attitude that “the State will take care of him” such that even people who want to work are often not helped by those with connections because they see no need to exert themselves. Not to mention the fact that there is an attitude prevalent in the Chareidi community that any work other than low-paying “Chareidi” jobs such as melamed endanger the “purity of the camp” (actually they endanger the control askanim have on the Chareidi public by freeing them from financial dependency).
Menu