needy. Old Testament laws mandated tithes and taxes to support ‘fulltime religious workers’ as well as to aid the otherwise destitute. One of the most frequent refrains of Torah, Psalms and Prophets is God’s concern for the ‘widow, fatherless, alien and poor’, a concern which should lead his people ruthlessly to avoid every form of exploitation and to seek ways to meet the genuine needs of the marginalized and to address the causes of their misery. In the New Testament, Luke and Paul enjoin generous