GEMILUS CHASSADIM
What mitzva could possibly be greater than tzedaka? Chazal say that doing kindly deeds, gemilus chassadim, is greater than tzedaka in three ways. Firstly, tzedaka is done with money only, while gemilus chassadim is done with money (such as by giving a loan) but also personally (e.g., by burying the dead, bringing joy to a chassan and kalla, or escorting a departing friend). Secondly, tzedaka is for the needy, while gemilus chassadim can be done for any person. Thirdly, tzedaka is given only to the living, while gemilus chassadim can also be done towards those who have passed on.
The value of kindness is measured according to the goodness of heart and effort invested in it. When one prepares food or delivers clothing to the poor, he is devoting thought and care for the other.
(סוכה מ"ט ע"ב)
HaShem said: All the kindness that you perform is more precious to Me than the korbanos that Shlomo HaMelech offered before Me.
Once, Rebbi Yochanan ben Zakai and Rebbi Yehoshua left Yerushalayim together. Seeing the destroyed Beis HaMikdash, Rebbi Yehoshua bemoaned the absence of a place of forgiveness for the Yidden. Rebbi Yochanan told him, "Do not despair! For we still have an equal opportunity for kapara – by fulfilling acts of gemilus chassadim."
(ילקוט הושע תקכ"ב, אדר"נ פ"ד)
The Alter Rebbe learned the following teaching from the tzaddik Reb Mordechai, who had heard it from the Baal Shem Tov:
A neshama may descend to This World and live for seventy or eighty years – in order to do a Yid a favor begashmius and certainly beruchnius.
(היום יום ה' אייר)
In the year תס"ט (1709), when the Baal Shem Tov was only eleven years old, he joined the group of tzaddikim nistarim. Three years later, in the year תע"ב (1712), the Baal Shem Tov impressed upon them the importance of helping Yidden begashmius, even where it would not lead to an influence beruchnius. Fifteen years later, seeing the great benefit which this approach brought, the nistar Reb Mordechai placed his hands upon the Baal Shem Tov's head and said, "Tavo alecha bracha תע"ב()! May brachos come upon you for your ahavas Yisroel!"
(אג"ק ריי"צ ח"ד ע' רצא, לקו"ש ח"א ע' 261)
The Torah commands a Yid to follow in the ways of HaShem. Chazal explain that just as HaShem clothed the naked, visited the sick and buried the dead, we should do the same.
(סוטה יד ע"א)
THE NECESSITY FOR KINDNESS
The Frierdiker Rebbe related:
One morning, while on datche with my father (the Rebbe Rashab) in Alivka, I awoke at 3:00 am and sat down to learn. I noticed that my father woke up early and was preparing himself for davening. At 6:00 am, he invited me to come with him for a walk.
As we were walking, he said to me, "When one rises in the morning, learns and then davens, something is accomplished, but without the opportunity of actually doing a kindness for another Yid, the day is 'dry.' One needs to daven to HaShem that He send a Yid for whom one can do an act of kindness – though one should daven that he not stumble upon unworthy people."
Later that day, two Yidden from Rudnia came to my father to ask him to do a personal favor for them. My father called me and said, "You see, if one desires truthfully, HaShem helps him.' "
(סה"ש תרצ"ט ע' 339, בבא קמא טז ע"ב)
In the year תרפ"ב (1922), when the Frierdiker Rebbe was in Petersburg, the chossid Reb Zalke Persitz told him:
"It is now 25 years since I became a chossid! In the year תרנ"ז (1897) the Rebbe Rashab told me at yechidus, 'Just as a Yid must put on tefillin every day, he must spend fifteen minutes a day thinking about himself, about whom he can help beruchnius or even begashmius.' I asked the Rebbe, 'Rebbe, how is this possible?' To which he replied, 'For this, one must have a mashpia,' and the Rebbe suggested Reb Zalman Arsher.
"From then on, every day, I would record in a diary the act of kindness I had done that day, and on a day when I could not find someone with whom to do a favor, I would go to shul and spend time with Reb Zalman."
(סה"ש תש"ד ע' 61)
The Baal Shem Tov explained the words of Chazal, "Torah learning which is not accompanied by work – will become invalid.” A person's learning must bring him to help another Yid, otherwise his learning is deficient.
The Rebbe explained why helping another Yid is described as "work". Just as a businessman does not wait at home for others to approach him, but opens his store in a busy location, hangs a sign and tries his best to convince others of his product, so, too, a Yid must actively pursue opportunities to help another Yid.
(סה"ש ת"ש ע' 115, לקו"ש ח"א ע' 260)
CONSIDER
- Which is greater: helping another begashmius or beruchnius? Why?
- Why does one need special assistance from above to help another? How does having a mashpia help?
