“Send out portions to those who have nothing”
Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. (Nehemiah 8:10 BSB)
What it sounds like today
A generic reminder to share some leftovers.
The cultural key
Modern readers hear a soft suggestion to share food. In Israel it was closer to an obligation woven into how a holy day was kept. A sacred feast was not a private indulgence; joy before God was meant to be corporate, so those with plenty actively 'sent out portions' of the rich food and sweet drink to anyone 'who has nothing prepared.' No household was to celebrate while a neighbor went without. This practice of sending gifts of food is later codified in the celebration of Purim, where the day is marked by 'sending presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor' (Esther 9:22). So Nehemiah's instruction is not vague charity but a defined act of festival inclusion: the day is holy precisely because the whole people, rich and poor alike, rejoice together.
Recovered meaning
'Send out portions to those who have nothing' is a defined festival custom of provision, not a vague call to share. A holy day required actively sending food to the poor so the whole community rejoiced together, the same practice later fixed at Purim.