Welfare State

“Where do all these schnorrers in Israel come from? Why can’t I be left alone to daven in peace by the Kosel, by the holy graves of tzaddikim, in shul? Why can’t they just get jobs? Aren’t the police able to do anything about them? Isn’t there some type of law? Shouldn’t there be…?”

“Welcome to Eeezrahel!” is the general tour guide response to the above questions. Israel is certainly home to many of the world’s greatest schnorrers. It is true that not all of them are “holy beggars.” Perhaps a few of them are unbalanced, or scammers trying to make a quick buck or, sadly, feed their not-so-healthy habits. But I was raised to assume it is not my place to question, that I should be grateful to be on this side of the wallet rather than on the other side.

Why do our holy places attract this unfortunate class of our people? Because they know we are at these sites to connect to Hashem. People who come to holy places, who are trying to be holy, are, and should be, the easiest “targets.”

After all, just as parents have a special place in their hearts for their most unfortunate of children, our Father in Heaven, as the Torah repeatedly tells us, dwells among the neediest. His heart and mercy are upon those who need Him the most and who feel they have no one else. Time and time again the Torah exhorts us to be careful with the feelings of the widow, the orphan, the convert, and the impoverished. If we really want “in” with our Father, there is no better way than to do what we can to help out His neediest of children.