Included in the people considered “the poor of your city” are the wise learned men, as Chazal said that “all are like relatives of a wise man!”. The high level of one who gives benefit to a wise man from his property is well-known, as Chazal say that “if you want to perform acts of charity, perform them with those who toil in Torah!”. By doing this one performs many commandments. They include: charity, supporting those who learn the Torah, honoring the Torah and its learners, bringing presents to a wise man (which is considered like bringing Bikkurim the first part of the produce which is brought to the temple]), and performing acts of charity with worthy people. How great will be his reward, as we see in the words of Chazal how wonderful is one who helps another to learn to the extent that the Torah gives precedence to Zevullun to Yissachar (as is well-known that Zevullun occupied themselves with business to support Yissachar), and Hashem will make shade and a tent for those who keep the commandments together with those who learn the Torah.
Another reason to perform acts of charity with poor wise men is that the need of a wise man is greater than that of other people as he does not go around the doors collecting money and it is not his way nor it is it fitting that he should be denigrated by wearing rags, and we must give them whatever they lack so that they will not be preoccupied and their learning will be complete and their service of Hashem will be absolute, to the extent that we can say that fortunate is a man who does this and a man who holds on to it, as it is a tree of life for those who hold on to it and its supporters are fortunate. The good points of a man who supports those who learn the Torah and gives them benefit from his own possessions are many, as is explicit in the words of Chazal.
