In ancient Judea, support for the poor was the responsibility of individuals. The Bible commanded each Jewish farmer to set aside a small part of his harvest for the poor This arrangement reflected life in a simple agricultural society. When social, political, and economic conditions changed and poverty became a growing social problem. these arrangements were no longer adequate and others evolved in their place. The evolution of these new programs, us well as various innovative funding methods developed in the Second Temple and talmudic periods to support them, are reviewed.
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