The Navi (Yeshaya 32:17) teaches: 'And the deed of righteousness shall be peace, and the act of righteousness [shall be] tranquility and safety until eternity.'
What then are the deeds and righteousness, the acts of righteousness, that the Navi writes can bring about the true, eternal ceasefire?
The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 478, found in this week's Parsha--Not to Refrain from Sustaining a Poor Man) provides us with essential guidance:
'...train your heart, under all circumstances, in the quality of generosity and compassion, and do not reckon that the matter will mean a lack in your personal wealth, because for the sake of this thing, Hashem ... will bless you... and His blessing for a brief instant is better for you than any number of treasures of gold and silver.'
The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 479--also in this week's Parsha, the Mitzvah of Charity) beautifully continues this theme:
'The nub of the matter is that whoever benefits his fellow man, whether with goods, food, or any other needs of his, or even with good words, words of comfort--it is all within the meaning of the precept of Charity, and his reward will be very great.'
The Chinuch then pleads with his son, to whom this Sefer is written, 'Let my words enter your ears for they are good in an ear that listens... Chazal also taught that no man will ever be reduced to poverty on account of the great amount of charity he gives' and Jews will be redeemed in the merit of Tzedakah, as the Posuk states '...and those of her who return--by charity (Yeshaya 1:27).' Finally, in explaining the extensive application of Tzedakah, the Chinuch writes:
'It applies in every place and time, for both man and woman. If a person violates this and does not practice Charity at the time that he is asked for it, or when he sees the matter is needed and he has the ability to do it, he disobeys this positive precept.' [all translations courtesy of the 5-volume sefer hachinuch published by feldheim]
Thus, as incredible as it may sound, money that is truly well-spent can buy benefits heretofore unimaginable. Furthermore, as the Chinuch writes, the mitzvah of Charity is not limited to money, for it includes any act which benefits your fellow man, including caring, sharing, and good words (see the story below). Peace should not be achieved by the blood of fallen soldiers and civilians; it should be gained eternally, by the acts of righteousness that we are to perform daily.
For those who have not yet contributed to the various reputable funds established for our brothers in the Galil (Yad Eliezer, etc.), then this week, where the Torah teaches it, is certainly the appropriate time to do so. For those who have already contributed to one or more of the various funds, Yasher Kochachem, but perhaps now is the time to do so again in order to demonstrate our devotion to the words of the Navi, and with the kavannah to obtain that eternal ceasefire!
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Today, the 23rd day of Menachem Av, is the Yahrtzeit of the Steipler Gaon, HaRav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky, Z'TL. We bring only one short story (published in Halichos V'Hanhagos, p. 12), which teaches us all what great people are made of.
In his older years, the Steipler had difficulty walking. Once, after davening Mincha in the Yeshiva, he had walked about 100 meters towards his home. He then made a sudden about face and returned to the Yeshiva. An eyewitness who followed him back, related that when he returned to the Yeshiva, he took the Gemara that he was learning at his seat before Mincha, and returned it to the seforim shelf. He then turned around and once again began his difficult trek home.
We too can take the road to greatness by thinking about how we can help others--even in relatively small matters--and walking those 100 meters to greatness.
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Reprinted with permission from Hakhel MIS
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Important Numbers
