נחמיה, פרק ה׳, פסוק י״ז

Leadership often requires immense personal sacrifice, particularly during times of national rebuilding. Nehemiah voluntarily took on a massive financial burden to support his people, funding enormous daily meals entirely from his private wealth rather than taxing the struggling public.

Every day, he hosted a steady group of one hundred and fifty people. This gathering was made up of the local Jewish population alongside the king's officials and ministers [רלב"ג, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In addition to these regular guests, his table was always open to individuals arriving from the surrounding nations. There are different perspectives on exactly who these travelers were. Some explain that they were individuals who had left their local, idol-worshipping societies to convert and join the people of Israel [רש"י, מצודת דוד]. Others suggest that they were Jewish people who had been living among the neighboring nations and traveled to Jerusalem specifically to assist with the ongoing construction efforts [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Regardless of their background, all of these guests were fed entirely at Nehemiah's personal expense. The commentators highlight the staggering cost required to feed such a massive crowd every single day. The daily menu consisted of a whole ox, six choice sheep, and a large amount of poultry. The meals were also accompanied by a wide variety of wines, which were supplied in ten-day cycles. Interestingly, on the tenth day of each cycle, Nehemiah would personally fast and refrain from drinking wine [מלבי"ם].

Even with these severe personal expenses and a complete lack of public income, Nehemiah maintained his principles. He firmly refused to demand the official food allowances and taxes that he was legally entitled to collect in his role as governor, choosing instead to carry the entire financial weight himself [רלב"ג, מלבי"ם].