Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Chazal tell us in numerous places [see Yevamos 62b מקרב את קרוביו, Maharal Nesiv Hatzdaka Chapter 4 and many other sources] that one must care about one's family. PASHUT! What are they teaching us? The answer is that all too often we see that it is specifically one's family members who are hardest to care about. That is why we find families where some are very wealthy and others very poor - the tzedaka doesn't go to one's own brother or cousin but ..... to strangers.
That is why people will often give of themselves to communal projects while they don't have enough time for their own family.
That is why people are very polite and friendly to complete strangers but to their own family members they don't show the same amount of pleasantness.
Let us start our love and chesed with our flesh and blood.
ומבשרך אל תתעלם cried Isaiah - Don't hide from your flesh.
