What are the ramifications of " ... Lo Yih'yeh b'cha Evyon"?
Bava Metzi'a, 33a: It teaches us that when it comes to a loss of pocket, a person has first rights over his own money. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 17.
What are the connotations of the word "Efes ... "?
Rashi (in Sanhedrin, 64b): It means 'Stop (or 'Finish) the poor among you'. 1
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means 'Only' or 'but'. 2
Rashi (Ibid.): As in Vayigash Bereishis, 47:15: "Ki Afeis Kasef". See also Torah Temimah, note 17.
Oznayim la'Torah: And the Torah inserts it to teach us that nobody will become poor due to cancelling his debt according to the Torah's instructions - as the Rambam states in Hilchos Ma'aser Ani, 10:2 'Nobody ever became poor because he gave Tzedakah'.
How can we reconcile this Pasuk - "Efes ki Lo Yih'yeh b'cha Evyon" with Pasuk 11, which states "Ki Lo Yechdal Evyon mi'Kerev ha'Aretz"?
Rashi #1 and Targum Yonasan: The current Pasuk is speaking when Yisrael do the will of Hashem, 1 whereas Pasuk 11 is referring to what will happen if they don't. 2
Rashi #2 (in Sanhedrin 64b): "Efes Ki Lo Yih'yeh b'cha Evyon" means 'Beware that you do not come to poverty (by not negating your debts in the Sh'mitah)'. 3
Ramban: This Pasuk is speaking in general terms, 4 whereas Pasuk 11 is prophesying that it is impossible for Yisrael to adhere to Hashem's word for all generations, and there is bound to come a generation that does not do the will of Hashem, in which case, there is still a need to warn them about how to treat a poor person.
Rashbam #1 and Riva: The Torah here guarantees that if you cancel the debt, you will not become poor (because Hashem will reimburse you - Rashbam). 5
Rashbam #2: The Pasuk means that cancelling your debts will not make you poor, since Hashem will reimburse you.
Seforno: Even though Hashem issued a command to cancel debts after the Sh'mitah, this will not come into effect (when you do the will of Hashem, because every borrower will be able to pay before Sh'mitah. 6
Rashi (on Pasuk 5): As the next Pasuk explains - 'Then there will be no poor among you, only among others'.
Rashi: Then there will be poor among you.
Rashi (ibid.): Because the word "Efes" means to stop ot to prevent ? as in Vayigash, Bereishis, 47:15.
Assuming that Yisrael will do the will of Hashem.
Rashbam (in Pasuk 11): Pasuk 11 teaches us that there will always be poor people, since, as the Pasuk writes in Koheles, 7:20 'Peole tend not to do only good, and not sin'. Riva ? there will always be poor people, in order to increase our reward for giving Tzedakah to them, and save us from Gehinom, as the Gemara states in Bava Basra, 10a.
Seforno: No doubt this was the case regarding the generation that entered Cana'an all the days of Yehoshua and the elders who succeeded him (who were all Tzadikim). Pasuk 11 is like a prophecy that Yisrael will later sin, like Moshe told them - in Vayeilech, 31:29 "Ki Yada'ati Acharei Mosi ki Hashcheis Tashchisun".
What is the difference between an Ani and an Evyon?
Rashi: "Evyon" means 'destitute' 1 as opposed to "Ani", which means poor.
Bava Metzi'a 111b: An Ani is embarrassed to ask [his needs], whereas an Evyon is not. 2
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that when Yisrael do the will of Hashem, there will not be poor Yisre'elim. To whom will we then give Ma'aser Ani?
