MISHNAH: Two lodges were in the Temple, one the silence lodge and one the vessel lodge. The silence lodge: Silently did sin-fearing people contribute there and poor people from good families were supported from there in silence. The vessel lodge: Anybody who vowed a vessel throws it in there. Once in 30 days the treasurers open it. Any vessel which they deem is needed for the upkeep of the Temple they keep, but the remainder is sold and their proceeds belong to the lodge of upkeep of the Temple.

HALAKHAH: ⁹⁵The following text (except the last paragraph) also is found in Peah8:9, Notes 149–167 (פ). Also there exists a Genizah text from here to Chapter 7 (ג). Rebbi Jacob bar Idi and Rebbi Isaac bar Naḥman were providers⁹⁶Administrators of the welfare fund. and gave a denar to Rebbi Ḥama the father of Rabbi Oshaia, but he gave it away to others. All were saying evil things about Rebbi Zachariah, the son-in-law of Rebbi Levi; they said that he was taking while he did not need it. When he died, they checked and found that he was splitting it up for others.

Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappos used to distribute his charity in the night. Once the prince of spirits encountered him. He said to him, did not our teacher teach us: Do not displace your neighbour’s boundaries⁹⁷Deut. 19:14.? He said to him, but is it not written, a gift in secret appeases anger⁹⁸Prov. 21:14.? He was afraid of him and fled from him.

Rebbi Jonah said, it is not written, “hail to him who gives to the needy,“ but: hail to him who is considerate to the needy⁹⁹Ps. 41:2.; this refers to him who fulfills this commandment intelligently. How did Rebbi Jonah do it? When he saw a son of a prominent family who had lost his property, he used to say to him: My son, since I heard that an inheritance fell to you at another place, take and you will pay back. When he had taken it, he said to him, it is a gift.

Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, in our days there were old people who used to take if somebody gave to them between New Year’s Day and the Great Fastday. After that, they were not taking. They said, there is permission for us.

Neḥemiah from Shiḥin met a Jerusalemite who said to him, acquire merit by giving me a chicken. He said to him, here is its value, go buy red meat; he bought, ate and died. He said, come and eulogize him whom Neḥemiah killed.

Naḥum from Gimzo was carrying a gift to the house of his father-in-law when he met a person afflicted with boils who asked him, acquire merit from what you have on you. He said to him, when I shall return. He returned and found him dead. He said before him, his eyes which saw you and did not give to you shall go blind, his hands which did not stretch out to give to you shall be cut off, his feet which did not run to give to you shall be broken. This happened to him. Rebbi Aqiba came to visit him and said, woe to me that I see you in this state. He answered, woe to me that I do not see you in this state. He asked, why do you curse me? He answered, why are you contemptuous of suffering?

The teacher of the great Rebbi Hoshaia’s son was blind and he used to invite him to eat with him every day. One day there were guests and he did not ask him to eat with him. In the evening, he went to him and said: Please, Sir, do not be angry with me. [Since I had guests, I did not want risking injuring the Sir’s honor, therefore I did not eat with you today.]¹⁰⁰The corrector’s addition in this paragraph is necessary as shown by the parallels. He said to him, you assuaged him who is seen but does not see; may He be appeased by you Who sees but is not seen. He asked him, from where do you have this? He said, from Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob. For there came a blind man to Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob’s town; Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob sat below him so that they should say if he were not a great person, Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob would not sit below him. They provided for him in honor. He asked them, what is this? They told him, because Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob sat below you. He prayed for him the following prayer: You did a good deed for one who is seen but does not see; He Who sees but is not seen may be appeased by you and do good for you.

Clarification. Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and Rebbi Hoshaiah were strolling through the synagogue of Lod. Rebbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said to Rebbi Hoshaiah: How much money did my forefathers invest here! He answered him: How many souls did your forefathers invest here, there is no one in here who studies Torah¹⁰¹In B: How many souls did your forefathers lose here, are there no ones here who study Torah?!

Rebbi Abun made doors for the main house of study. Rebbi Mana came to him; he said to him, look what I did. He told him, Israel forgot its Creator and built palaces¹⁰²Hos.8:14.. Were there no people who study Torah¹⁰³Support of needy students is more important than great buildings on campus.?

It was stated: Altar sancta take what is appropriate for them from sancta of upkeep of the Temple. Sancta of upkeep of the Temple do not take what is appropriate for them from altar sancta¹⁰⁴. But did we not state, “any vessel which they deem is needed for the upkeep of the Temple they keep, but the remainder is sold and their proceeds fall into the lodge of upkeep of the Temple¹⁰⁷This implies that vessels needed for the service of the altar cannot be used directly but must be sold and other vessels bought in their stead.”? Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, so is the Mishnah: in case of need¹⁰⁸For any need, including the altar. from the lodge of upkeep of the Temple.