Mutual dependence reveals all comes from Hashem

בפסוק וכי ימוך כו' והחזקת בו כו' וחי אחיך עמך.

On the pasuk: "And if your brother becomes impoverished… you shall strengthen him… that your brother may live with you."

The Torah commands not merely to give charity but to take hold of a faltering brother and lift him up so that he can live alongside you.

ובמד' רש וא"ת נפגשו כו' מאיר עיני שניהם ה'.

And in the Midrash: "The rich man and the poor man meet — Hashem enlightens the eyes of them both."

When the wealthy and the poor are brought together, neither is complete on his own; Hashem is the One who illuminates both through their encounter (Mishlei 22:2; 29:13).

וזה הענין נוהג הן בעשיר הן בחכם.

And this matter applies both to the wealthy man and to the wise man.

The principle of mutual support holds not only with material wealth but with wisdom — each person has something the other lacks.

וממשמע שנאמר והחזקת בו שיש בכח איש להחזיק ביד חבירו שמטה ידו וחי עמך כי הנקודה חיות יכול להתפשט עד אין שיעור.

From the implication of "you shall strengthen him" we learn that a person has the power to take hold of the hand of his fellow whose own hand has faltered, "that he may live with you" — for the inner point of life can extend without limit.

The nekudah (inner point) of vitality that Hashem places in a person is boundless; therefore even one who seems to have little can revive his fellow and share his life-force without it being diminished.

והקב"ה וב"ש משפיע בכל יום לכלל הבריאה כל הצטרכות שלהם הן בנפש הן בגוף וע"ז מברכין הזן את העולם כולו דייקא.

And Hashem, may He be blessed, bestows each day upon all of creation all their needs, both of soul and of body — and concerning this we bless "He who sustains the entire world," precisely.

Hashem's daily flow of sustenance reaches the whole of creation as a single unit, which is why the berachah speaks of sustaining "the entire world" — the abundance is meant for all together.

רק שהמקבלים צריכין להתאחד ולתת זה לזה באחדות אחד.

Only that the recipients must unite and give to one another in complete oneness.

The blessing is fully drawn down only when people join as one, sharing what they have received with each other.

ואז אין מחסור דבר.

And then nothing is lacking.

When Bnei Yisrael act in true unity, the divine flow is complete and no need goes unmet.

וכיון שימוך אחיך ומטה ידו עמך בוודאי נמצא העזר אצלך.

And since your brother has become impoverished and his hand has faltered beside you, surely the help he needs is to be found with you.

The very fact that a needy person crosses your path is a sign from Hashem that you possess precisely the help he requires.

ואם כי אינו רואה שיהיה בכחי כל כך.

And even though one may not see that he has such power within him.

A person may feel he has nothing to give, doubting his own capacity to help.

ע"ז נאמר מאיר עיני שניהם ה' שע"י התאחדות ישרה עליהם ברכה.

Concerning this it is said, "Hashem enlightens the eyes of them both" — for through their joining together, blessing rests upon them.

When the two unite, Hashem opens both their eyes and sends a blessing that reveals the hidden ability each one has to sustain the other.

וכן בתוכתות כתי' הוכח תוכיח כו' ולא תשא עליו חטא.

And likewise regarding rebuke it is written, "You shall surely rebuke… and you shall not bear sin on his account."

The same mutual responsibility applies to tochachah (rebuke): one who can help his fellow improve is obligated to do so (Vayikra 19:17).

פי' שאם מונע מלהוכיח יש לו חלק בהחטא שכיון שרואה ויכול להוכיח באמת צריך חבירו לתוכחה שלו והוא מונע הטוב מבעליו שעזר חבירו הוא אצלו.

The meaning is that if one withholds rebuke he shares in the sin, for since he sees and is able to rebuke, in truth his fellow needs his rebuke, and he is withholding good from its rightful owner — for the help his fellow needs is found with him.

Just as withholding material aid is a failure, so is withholding spiritual aid; the rebuke you are able to give belongs to your fellow, and to hold it back is to deny him what is rightfully his.

שכך ברא הש"י שיהיה לזה סיוע מזה וזה לזה יצטרכו כדי שיבינו כולם כי הכל מהש"י.

For Hashem created the world so that each would have help from the other, and each would need the other, so that all would understand that everything comes from Hashem.

Mutual dependence is built into creation by design, so that no one imagines he is self-sufficient and all recognize that every gift flows from Hashem.

ולא יהיה כל השלימות אצל א'.

And so that all perfection should not rest with a single person.

Hashem deliberately distributes strengths so that completeness is found only in the community, never in one individual alone.

ולכן איזה חכם הלומד מכל אדם שיש אצל כ"א דבר מיוחד יותר מבאחרים מטעם הנ"ל:

Therefore, "Who is wise? One who learns from every person" — for each individual possesses something unique, more than others, for the reason explained above.

Since Hashem placed in every person a distinct gift, the truly wise one learns from everyone, recognizing that each holds a piece of the whole that no one else has (Avos 4:1).

Summary: The mitzvah to strengthen a faltering brother reveals a foundational truth: Hashem deliberately spread blessing, wisdom, and ability among different people so that all would need one another. The boundless inner point of life lets even one of modest means revive his fellow. Only through unity and mutual giving — in material support, in rebuke, and in learning from every person — is the divine flow made complete, teaching that everything comes from Hashem.