DEUT722 As Owner of everything, God also has the prerogative to make demands about how the world's property is distributed. Thus the most straightforward reason in the tradition that we must care for others is that God commands is to do so. So, for example, with regard to the poor, the Torah says this: “If there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs... For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land (Deuteronomy 15: 7, 8, 11).