איוב, פרק ל״א, פסוק י״ז

Job defends his moral character by highlighting his deep commitment to the weakest people in society. He reflects on his past habits, asking rhetorically whether he ever consumed his personal food and bread in isolation [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He asserts that he never sat down to a meal without sharing it with an orphan. This claim forms a crucial part of his broader defense, as he recognizes that if he had acted selfishly and hoarded his meals, he would have no answer when God rises to issue His judgment [מלבי״ם].

There is a specific reason why the orphan is singled out as the one sharing his meal, as opposed to other individuals in need. Job made it a regular practice to bring orphans directly into his home to eat at his own table. In contrast, he did not invite widows to join him at the table in order to avoid any improper suspicion, and other poor individuals often preferred to take their food and eat privately in their own homes. Because of this, Job stresses that he never ate his food alone; he always ensured that an orphan was seated with him and had eaten from his meal first [אלשיך].