Today’s learning is dedicated to the refuah sheleima of Simcha Nosson ben Zissel.

In the previous post we discussed the personality and character traits that are hallmark of the “Ba’al Chesed.” We described the great esteem and love Hashem has towards the ba’al chesed, and how we are expected to emulate Hashems’ ways by treating such individuals with increased respect, tolerance, and compassion. We also mentioned how Creation (and it’s continued existence) is the greatest kindness of Hashem.

The ba’al chesed acts as a pillar to the world, strengthening and fortifying its foundation. As the Mishnah states, “The world stands upon three things: the Torah, the Temple service, and acts of kindness” (Perkei Avos 1:2).

Similarly, the verse states, “The world is built on kindness” (Psalms 89:3). In this way, the ba’al chesed acts as a co-creator with Hashem, so to speak.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught, “Anyone who helps a fellow Jew is considered as if he helped Hashem Himself.” Similarly, the verse states, “He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to G-d; He will repay him his due” (Proverbs 19:17).

The law states that when there is a monetary dispute between a lender and borrower, the lender has the privilege of choosing which beis din (court) to use. Therefore, concludes Rabbi Elimelech Biderman, “Since the ba’al chesed is considered Hashem’s lender, he can request to be judged in Hashem’s compassionate court, and he will certainly be judged favorably.”

Likewise, Rebbe Nachman teaches, “[The ba’al chesed] becomes a creditor for G-d, as it were. His fortune is enhanced, and he is called a perfect Tzaddik.” (Sefer HaMiddos, Charity # 5-7)

(In fact, the Midrash (Tanchuma 5) says, “Two people are called tzadik [in Tanach], and they earned this title because they sustained others with food. They are Noach and Yosef. Noach is called tzadik because he fed the animals in the Ark, and Yosef is referred to as tzadik (see Amos 2:6) because Yosef supported his family (see Bereishis 47:12).”

While expounding on the words in נתנה תוקף, ”And Your throne, from which You rule in truth, is established with chesed,” Rabbi Biderman teaches, “With deeds of chesed, one has the right to decide which throne Hashem should sit on during the judgment, whether the throne of strict judgement or mercy.”

Similarly, Rebbe Nachman teaches, “Whoever shows compassion for the poor merits consolation from G-d.” (Sefer HaMiddos, Mercy # 7)

Commenting on the verse, “Hashem is your shadow” (Psalms 121:5), the Baal Shem Tov explains that just as a shadow mimics all the movements of a person, so too Hashem mirrors our actions. If we act kindly to one another, Hashem will bestow kindness on us. (Additionally, if we forgive, Hashem forgives.)

As we’ve discussed previously, our kind deeds and charitable contributions will rise to our defense in times of need (see Attribute # 2 where we discussed how each good deed creates a defending angel). As Rebbe Nachman teaches, “In a time of trouble, a person’s charitable deeds are recalled for him” (Sefer HaMiddos, Charity # 35).

Similarly, Rebbe Nachman tells us, “All the charity and kindness that the Jews do in this world creates advocates of merit and leads to great harmony between the Jewish People and their Father in heaven” (Sefer HaMiddos, Charity # 1).

In this way, the ba’al chesed also benefits from his own kindness and compassion. As the Midrash states regarding Boaz offering the grain of his field to Ruth, “More than what a householder does for the poor man, the poor man does for the householder, as Ruth says to Naomi, ‘The man’s name whom I helped today is Boaz’ (Ruth 2:19). It doesn’t say, ‘Who helped me,’ but rather ‘Whom I helped.’” (Vayikra Rabbah 34:8)

This is true to such an extent that Rebbe Nachman teaches that when we are need of compassion, Hashem specifically sends us opportunities to be compassionate to others, thereby making us worthy of Divine mercy. Rebbe Nachman writes, “When a person requires compassion, Hashem sends him compassion so that he shows compassion for others, and as a result he is shown compassion. As our Sages teach: Whoever shows compassion for Hashem’s creations, is himself shown compassion (Shabbos 151b). And as it is written (Devarim 13:18), ‘He will give you compassion, and you will be compassionate’” (Likutey Moharan I, 119).

The Talmud lists acts of kindness as one of the few mitzvos that we reap the rewards both in this world and in the World to Come. In other words, the reward received in this world does not diminish or detract from the reward awaiting the ba’al chesed in the World to Come.

Acts of kindness and charity are everlasting, and while we can’t take our checkbooks with us, we can take our receipts. As the author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried (1804-1886) said, “The only possession you can truly call your own are what we give away to charity. Only they escort us to the next world.”

Similarly, the Midrash says that a person has three friends in this world – his wealth, family, and good deeds; however, only his good deeds can join him when he leaves this world.

In this weeks Parsha the verse reads, “Fear not, Avram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great” (Bereishes 15:1). Commenting on this verse, Rabbi Moshe Kormornick writes, “Hashem is reassuring Avraham that despite the miracles performed on his behalf, his reward in the World to Come would not be diminished. This appears to contradict the dictum that someone who gains special favor in This World – especially through a miracle – has his reward reduced in the Next World (Taanis 20b). Why was Avraham able to benefit from a miracle without it detracting from his spiritual account? The Alter of Novordok answered that the above principle only applies when one is subject to Hashem’s kindness for his own personal benefit, but when he is using the very thing that Hashem gave to him in order to actually serve Hashem, then he receives no detraction from his ultimate reward.”

“The example The Alter gives is of a restaurant worker who works in the most expensive restaurant in town, yet despite not being able to afford the food, he nevertheless receives his meals for free because he is working there, and it is in the interest of the restaurant owner to make sure that his workers enjoy the food and are suitably fed. This keeps them excited about the product they are presenting and gives them the energy to continue to do a good job. Similarly, if someone is using his possessions to do mitzvos or be more involved in Torah, then the resources he uses to this end are not deducted from his ‘personal account,’ rather, they are taken from Hashem’s proverbial ‘business account.’”

Similarly, an entrepreneur invests money in a company that he is confident will yield high gains, he believes in its potential. If the company proves to be profitable, he will invest more of his funds and assets into the firm. Hashem is continuously and consistently bestowing incredible capabilities and resources upon us; Hashem invests in us because He believes in us. When we use these gifts in a productive manner by helping others, Hashem invests even more in us by showering down blessings from Above.

Not only do our acts of kindness escort us to the next world, but they also serve as the legacy we leave behind in this world. Last weeks Parsha begins, “These are the offspring of Noach; Noach was a Tzadik, and wholehearted in his generation.” As Rebbe Nachman teaches, “The main offspring of the Tzaddikim are their good deeds” (Likutey Moharan II, 4).

In last week’s Parsha the verse states, “Hashem saw… that each person corrupted his way on earth…” (Bereishes 6:12). The Chasam Sofer says that דרכו, “His way,” refers to Hashem’s way. As we’ve seen while discussing the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, Hashem is patient, kind and benevolent, but the people of Noach’s generation were inconsiderate and cruel to one another, and Hashem was therefore unable (so to speak) to bestow goodness on the People… they corrupted the way of Hashem.

(The Chasam Sofer zt’l teaches that if Noach’s generation would have acted kindly towards one another, Hashem would have acted kindly with them, sparing them from the flood despite their other iniquities.)

The Zohar (Hashmatos, Bereishis 254b) teaches that after the flood, Noach witnessed the destruction of the world and began to cry. He said, “Master of the world, You are called compassionate. Why were You not compassionate towards Your creation?” Hashem rebuked him, “You foolish shepherd! Now you say this?” The construction of the teivah took 120 years to complete; Hashem designed it so, for the people to see what was transpiring and so that they would have sufficient time to repent. But Hashem also afforded Noach this lengthy period as an opportunity to reach out to the people and convince them to abandon their wicked ways. Although Noach successfully avoided the negative influences surrounding him, still he failed to help others in need of spiritual salvation.

As Rebbe Nachman teaches, “One who sees a fellow Jew suffering should pray for mercy on his behalf” (Sefer HaMiddos, Charity # 10). Similarly, he teaches, “By ignoring your brother when you see that he is in trouble, it is as if you were responsible for that trouble” (Sefer HaMiddos, Charity # 9).

Rabbi Elimelech Biderman quotes the Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 36:3) that states, “Moshe is more beloved than Noach. Moshe was first called an ‘Egyptian man’ (Shemos 2:19), and later he became a ‘Man of G-d’ (Devarim 33:1). Noach was first called a ‘Tzadik’ (Bereishes 6:9), and later he became a ‘Man of the earth’ (Bereishes 9:22).” The Meshech Chachmah (on verse 9:22) explains that there are two paths in serving Hashem. One is to serve Hashem in solitude, by oneself, as if there is only him and the Creator in the world. The other path is to help others and to be involved in the needs of the community. Noach served Hashem by himself, and therefore he eventually fell from his level (going from a ‘tzadik’ to a ‘man of the earth’).  Moshe may have began from a lower plane, but he sacrificed himself entirely for the benefit of the people thereby raising him to new heights (for example, when Hashem threatened to destroy the Jewish nation, Moshe placed himself on the frontlines and told Hashem that he would sooner have his name and remembrance completely removed from the Torah, or when Moshe stood up and defended the Yid who was being beaten by the Egyptian, etc.).

Rabbi Efrem Goldberg writes, “After the flood ended, and the waters subsided, such that the world was once again inhabitable, G-d commanded Noach, ‘Come out of the Ark’ (Bereishes 8:16). Reb Noson, in Likutey Halachos (Shabbos), explains this command as referring to something beyond simply exiting the teivah. Noach was a righteous figure, but his one fault was his failure to inspire others, to uplift and impact the people around him. He can be said to have lived in the proverbial ‘ivory tower,’ focused on his own piety, without extending outward in order to elevate others and help make the world better. In a sense, Noach lived his life in a ‘teivah,’ secluded and isolated from the people whom he could have influenced. The command to leave the teivah meant that Noach needed to leave his personal ‘teivah,’ and involve himself in teaching and influencing the people around him. As the world would now be rebuilt, he was dutybound to engage, to reach out, and to try to make an impact.”

Now, we should note that being a ba’al chesed is not reserved for the elite; it is incumbent on each of us to be kind and compassionate towards others, to offer a helping hand to those in need. As Rabbi Goldberg concludes, “This command of ‘leave the teivah’ is directed to each and every one of us, as well… We must leave our ‘teivah’ and try to influence and inspire every Jew whom we can reach. We cannot allow ourselves the luxury of staying inside our ‘ivory tower’ and abandoning our fellow Jews. Come out of the teivah. We need to go out and try to make the greatest impact that we can.”

Commenting on the verse, “A faithful G-d, without evildoing; He is righteous and upright” (Devarim 32:4), Rabbi Goldberg elaborates, “Both the Vilna Gaon and Rav Yisrael Salanter are cited as explaining this verse to mean that when Hashem judges a person, and determines whether and how to punish, He takes into account everyone who will be affected by the punishment. This verse begins by saying how Hashem’s actions are ‘perfect,’ flawlessly just, without even a tinge of injustice. A human judge sentences a defendant based solely on the defendant’s actions. He will convict and sentence the defendant even if this causes considerable harm to the defendant’s family, friends and coworkers, and to the people he helps and supports. Hashem, however, takes all this into account. His judgment is perfect, in the sense that nobody is harmed without deserving to be harmed. Hashem will not punish a person in a manner that will adversely affect the people around him unless He has determined that those people are themselves worthy of the harm they will experience. Rav Yisroel Meir Druck remarked that this concept sheds new light on the Mishna’s famous teaching in Pirkei Avos (1:6), ‘Acquire for yourself a friend.’ The Mishna is urging us all to make ourselves essential, to foster meaningful relationships with people, to get involved, such that people need us and depend on us. The more friends we have, the more of a difference we make, and thus the more we are needed and relied upon. If we get involved in the community, volunteer, give charity, and help people, then we are needed, we are essential. And thus, even if we’ve done something wrong, the ‘Faithful G-d, without evildoing’ will consider all the people who rely on us, on our work, our concern, our volunteerism and our help, and He will spare us on their account. This is why the Mishna urges us, ‘Acquire for yourself a friend’ – because the more we are needed, the more likely we are to receive a favorable judgment due to our essential work that people depend on.”

Considering the length of this post, we will pause for now and pick up our discussion in our next post. With Hashem’s help, we will discuss the various types of kindnesses that can be performed, which acts take precedence (and how to prioritize), how to overcome the obstacles that may stand in our way, and ultimately how we can attain the prestigious title of “ba’al chesed.”

TO BE CONTINUED…