Was Shlomo Alav Hashalom the first to decry government “charity” or “social services”?
צְדָקָה תְרוֹמֵם גּוֹי וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת.
Righteousness exalts a nation, but the charity of nations is a sin.
(Mishlei 14:34)
Rashi comments on “and charity of nations is a sin” as follows:
“וחסד לאומים חטאת” – שהיו נוטלי’ מזה ונותנים לזה.
That they take from these and give to those.
Is he saying that it is a sin for governments to take from one to give to another?