In Parashas Behar, the Torah commands us (25:35) בו והחזקת עמך ידו ומטה אחיך ימוך וכי, "If your brother becomes destitute and his hand falters beside you, you shall support him." The mitzvah of בו והחזקת is to help your fellow man before he becomes poor. Rashi explains, "Do not allow him to fall and collapse altogether because it can be difficult to pick him up again." Lend him money when he begins to fall, when things are difficult for him because that will help him start or improve his business and become self-sufficient. This is better than letting him become poor and only then help him because, at that point, it will be harder to reestablish himself.
Rashi writes, "To what can this be compared? To a load on a donkey. While it is still on the donkey, one person can grasp it and hold it in place. Once it falls to the ground, however, even five people cannot pick it up."
The Alshich HaKadesh explains this lesson with a mashal: The street is full of mud, but Reuven is in shape and has no trouble walking. Reuven sees someone who is having difficulty keeping his balance. A man calls out to Reuven, "Give the man a hand and help him walk." Reuven replies, "He is still walking; he hasn't fallen yet. I will leave him be. If he falls, I will help him." It does not take long and the man indeed slips and falls into the mud and becomes covered with dirt from head to toe. He is in pain from the fall, and his clothes will never be spotless again. Reuven lifts him up and washes him and his clothing, but he doesn't deserve credit for any of this. He deserves rebuke and a curse because had he cared, this could have been avoided. This is why the Torah obligates us to support those who are falling before they fall.
For those who understand the nuances of lashon hakodesh, look at these words again: (25:35) בו והחזקת עמך ידו ומטה אחיך ימוך וכי, "If your brother becomes destitute and his hand falters beside you, you shall support him." It seems that it should say אותו והחזקת, "You shall support him." The Alshich HaKadosh provides a beautiful answer. בו והחזקת means that those who help the poor receive chizuk. The Torah says that בו והחזקת when you help the poor, you are helping yourself. This is because when you do chesed for others, Hashem will perform chesed for you.
Experiencing the Needs of Others
Hashem told Avraham לך לך, that he should travel, and it would be for his benefit. One way to understand this is that through his travels, Avraham will experience the difficulties and the needs of travelers and guests. This would be a benefit for Avraham because he would discover how to improve his performance of the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim.
Along these lines, the Tzror HaMor explains that the Torah discusses בו והחזקת, the mitzvah to aid the needy after it discusses the laws of Shemitah. During shemittah, everyone is worried about what they will eat, as the Torah writes (25:20), תבואתנו את נאסף ולא נזרע לא הן השביעת בשנה נאכל מה תאמרו וכי, "If you should say, 'What will we eat in the seventh year? We will not sow, and we will not gather in our produce!'" It is easier to help others after you have experienced what they go through.
There's a well-known story about a baal tzedakah who collected money to help the poor buy firewood in the winter. When he solicited wealthy people, he insisted on speaking to them outside their homes in the frigid cold because he wanted them to feel the cold and understand the plight of the poor.
The same occurs in this week's parashah. After experiencing the shemitah-related worries, the Torah says that now you will understand the plight of the poor and those struggling financially.
Helping Yourself by Helping Others
When you help the poor, you are ultimately helping yourself. The following story is an example of this principle:
A newly married yungerman was looking to rent an apartment in Meron for himself and his wife for Shabbos and Lag b'Omer that was on motzei Shabbos. As a bachur, he spent most of the Lag b'Omer day in Meron and hoped to do the same this year. He called a relative who lives in Or HaGanuz, a village near Meron, and asked him if he could stay with them for Shabbos.
