[A. A. Milne] Text by Rabbi David Hanania Pinto Shlita It is written, “Because of this thing, Hashem your G-d will bless you” [Re'eh 15:10]. The term hazeh (“this”) has a numerical value of 17. The Sages say, “He who gives a small coin to a poor man obtains six blessings, and he who speaks comforting words to him obtains eleven blessings” [Bava Batra 9b].  Hence the verse