The Bible and the 'Holy Poor': From the Tanakh to Les Miserables - Routledge Jewish Studies Series 1st edition

This book assesses why the Bible is so positive in its view of the poor, unlike most later literary and legislative works. It seeks to understand what historical circumstances brought about this elevated perception of the poor by exploring the clash of ideals and realities in the depiction of the poor in the Hebrew Bible and in European culture.