The Jews of Jesus’ day encouraged giving to beggars who requested alms as a moral, and not a legal, obligation. Begging was shameful, and in a society where most people lived in the same place for the whole of their lives, beggars would be well known to those in their community. 1
42 Donne à celui qui te demande, et ne te détourne pas de celui qui veut emprunter de toi.