“And if your brother is becoming destitute…you must support him… (Leviticus 25:35).
The previous passages, dealing with real estate transactions, are written in the plural form – but here, when discussing helping the poor, the Torah switches to the singular.
The Alshich HaKadosh explained that when someone is in need of help, people tend to think that there must be many friends and relatives in a position to help and responsibility is shifted to them. The Torah, therefore, expresses the requirement to assist those in need in the singular form to teach that each individual should see themselves as if there is no one else and they have a personal responsibility to assist.
By Rabbi Michael Skobac
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