Ekev: Verse 52
וְעוֹד בְּאוֹרַח רָזָא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ עֲנִיִּים מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ד,' דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ דַּלּוֹתִי וְלִי יְהוֹשׁוּעַ. וְאוֹת ד' דְּאֶחָד, דְּצָרִיךְ לְאַרְכָאָה בָּהּ, הה"ד לְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל מַמְלַכְתּוֹ, וּבג"ד, צָרִיךְ לְאַרְכָאָה עַל פָּתוֹרָא, דְּאִיהִי ד,' כְּלִילָא מְד' רַגְלִין דְּפָתוֹרָא. בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּאָת דָּלֶי"ת, צָרִיךְ לְאַרְכָאָה עַל פָּתוֹרָא, בְּגִין עֲנִיִּים.
Furthermore, an esoteric explanation is that all the poor people originate from the part of the letter Dalet, about which it is said: "I was brought low (Heb. daloti), and He saved me" (Tehilim 116:6). The pronunciation of the letter Dalet in 'Echad' (lit. 'one') should be prolonged. That is meant by the verse: "that he may prolong his days in his kingdom" (Devarim 17:20). Therefore, it behooves one to stay long at the table, which is Dalet (=four), because it has the four legs of the table. In honor of that letter Dalet, one should stay long at the table for the sake of the poor.
Ekev: Verse 53
וּבְגִינֵהּ אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, דְּבִקֵּשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִדָּה יָפָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח כְּמִדָּה דְּדַלּוּת. וְאַקְשׁוּ עָלָהּ, בְּגִין דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ קַדְמָאֵי, כְּחוּשְׁבָן מִינֵי מִיתוֹת דְּאִינּוּן כְּחוּשְׁבָן תּוֹצָאוֹת, וְחֶסְרוֹן כִּיס קָשֶׁה מִכּוּלָן, וְאֵיךְ אַמְרִין אִינּוּן, דְּלָא אַשְׁכַּח לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּה יָפָה כַּעֲנִיּוּתָא.
In relation to it the sages explained that the Holy One, blessed be He, sought a comely virtue for Yisrael, and found only the virtue of poverty. A difficulty was raised here, since the ancient sages explained that the number of different deaths is equivalent to the numerical value of the word 'totzaot (lit. 'modes')' (=903) (Tehilim 68:21), and that an empty pocket is the most difficult. How could it be said He found no better virtue for Yisrael than poverty?
Ekev: Verse 54
אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּכָל עַמָּא וְלִישָׁנָא, וְהָיָה כִּי יִרְעַב וְהִתְקַצַּף וְקִלֵּל בְּמַלְכּוֹ וּבֵאלֺהָיו וּפָנָה לְמָעְלָה. אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִינּוּן קַיָּימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי מִדָּה, וְלָא אַכְחִישִׁין בֵּיהּ. וּבג"ד, בְּמִּדָּה דָּא יִתְפָּרְקוּן. הה"ד, וְאֶת עַם עָנִי תּוֹשִׁיעַ. וְעָנִי לִישָׁנָא דְּעִנּוּי, דַּאֲפִילּוּ אִית לֵיהּ לְב"נ עוּתְרָא, וְאִיהוּ בְּמַרְעִין וּבְמַכְתְּשִׁין, עָנִי אִתְקְרֵי, אוֹ דְּדַחֲקִין לֵיהּ בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְצַעְרִין לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּאִיהוּ רַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ הוֹלֵךְ מֵאֲתָר לַאֲתָר.
He RESPONDS, It is only because about each nation and people, IT IS SAID, "and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their Elohim, and look upward" (Yeshayah 8:21). However, the children of Yisrael are in the Covenant with the Holy One, blessed be He, also with this virtue and do not deny His existence. Hence they shall be redeemed by this virtue. This is the meaning of: "and the afflicted people You shall save" (II Shmuel 22:28). 'Ani (Eng.. 'poor')' is derived from 'inui (Eng. 'suffering'),' since even when one has wealth but suffers from illnesses and afflictions, he is considered poor. Or he is distressed FOR HIS WEALTH and is afflicted every day. This is surely true for one who is poorer than him, MEANING THAT HE LACKS EVEN ENOUGH TO FULFILL HIS NEEDS and must wander from place to place, WHO IS MOST CERTAINLY CONSIDERED POOR.