Who Gets the Glory
'זה הדבר אשר ציווה ה' תעשו וירא אליכם כבוד ה
When you bring the sacrifices in the right way, it will be evident that you will have brought honor to Hashem. Sometimes, we’re not exactly certain how much honor we bring to Hashem for any given mitzvah we do and how much honor we seek for ourselves.
R’ Moshe M’Kozhnitz zt”l tells us that this is the meaning of the above posuk. Our intentions are a litmus test!
There was once a very rich person who would only consent to give the money needed to pay for the operation of a poor Jew if his million-dollar donation would be publicized in the newspaper.
The operation was successful and saved the man's life. In the same neighborhood lived a simple man, a hard-working fellow who barely made ends meet. One evening, this man was walking home from work when he noticed someone crying in front of a drug store.
“I need to buy some medication, but I am short 40 dollars and won’t make it home in time to pick up the cash and return before the pharmacy closes. If I don’t take this medicine, my life could fall into serious danger.”
Without thinking, the man pulled out 40 dollars from his pocket, saying, “Here it is - take it and be gebentched.”
After 120 years, the two neighbors went up to Shamayim, and the following scene took place.
A voice cried out from Heaven, “Whoever saves one life, it’s as if he has saved an entire world. Come forward and get your reward...”
The rich man was sure that they were summoning him. But instead, it was his neighbor who was called to the Heavenly throne and rewarded mightily.
The rich man looked on in astonishment!
When he inquired from the ministering angels exactly what this man had done, he cried out, “His 40 dollars, how can they compare to my million?!”
A Bas Kol explained.
“There was one major difference. Your donation was for your own honor - you would not donate without a big notice in the newspaper detailing every fact. But your neighbor did his action without fanfare, without glory. The only glory was the Honor of Hashem. This currency speaks loudest here in Heaven!”
All our intentions, all our actions must be done to increase Kavod Shamayim.
Mitzvos done for our own honor are worth less because it’s evident that we prefer the recognition of our fellow man rather than the honor of Hashem. If this is true, then we have already received the reward we desired.
To be sure, it does encourage others to give more if our own donations are publicized. But if that is our sole intention, we need to rethink our priorities.
There is a world of chesed that we can be involved in. Organizations need to be supported. New ones need to be started. There is chesed to be done with families and individuals in need. Many times, even with our own relatives.
Pesach is the Yom Tov of chesed, and we have just come from taking shelter in the wings of its beautiful celebration.
May our focus on conspicuous consumption and self-aggrandizement be controlled in the coming year, and may all of our mitzvos reach the highest rung of Kavod Shamayim!
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
RABBI BEN ZION SNEH
365 ROUTE 59, SUITE 23I AIRMONT, NY I0952
Written by R’ Avrohom Hillel Reich based on a lesson and story by Harav Ben Zion Sneh Shlita
