Description: Chapter 6 - 02
Ahavas Chesed
Chapter 6 – 02
Shaul killed out the whole city of Nov, which was full of Kohanim. He killed them because they had helped Dovid Hamelech escape, without knowing that Shaul was chasing him. He thought that they willingly did so and it was an act of treason. This was considered a great sin on Shaul’s part. After Shaul died and Dovid became king, there was a famine for three years. Dovid asked Hashem why this happened, and Hashem communicated with him that it was because of Shaul – killing the Givonim. As a result, the grandchildren of Shaul were punished, a very tragic story in our history. But Shaul didn’t kill the Givonim! Why is he being held responsible? The answer is, that when Nov was killed out, the Givonim lost their whole income, because Givonim supplied Nov with water, and they now became destitute – and Shaul was held accountable! We see that all the repercussions of someone’s actions are held against them, in punishment, even though they didn’t even intend it.
We see how awesome middas hadin is, how it demands retribution for every single aspect of an action. Middas Harachmim is thousands of times greater than middas hadin. Certainly, for every aspect of chesed, every repercussion, every single person that is affected, Hashem will reward the person as if they did it themselves.
Another important point to think about is, when we daven, we are constantly asking for Hashem’s mercy and for Him to do chesed with us. We say, ‘שים שלום טובה וברכה חן וחסד ורחמים עלינו,’ Give us peace, goodness, blessing, chein, and kindness, and mercy! If we ask Hashem for that, it is very difficult for those tefillos to be answered if we don’t exhibit those qualities ourselves! If we don’t practice those virtues, if we aren’t kind on a regular basis, there’s very little foundation for our tefillos. All the things we ask for in Shemonah Esray are based on Hashem’s kindness. Specifically regarding parnassah, which we so desperately need, and it is something which is totally dependent on Hashem’s chesed, as we say every day in the beginning of Shemonah Esray – מכלכל חיים בחסד – Hashem provides for all living things with kindness
Ahavas Chesed
Chapter 6 – 02
Shaul killed out the whole city of Nov, which was full of Kohanim. He killed them because they had helped Dovid Hamelech escape, without knowing that Shaul was chasing him. He thought that they willingly did so and it was an act of treason. This was considered a great sin on Shaul’s part. After Shaul died and Dovid became king, there was a famine for three years. Dovid asked Hashem why this happened, and Hashem communicated with him that it was because of Shaul – killing the Givonim. As a result, the grandchildren of Shaul were punished, a very tragic story in our history. But Shaul didn’t kill the Givonim! Why is he being held responsible? The answer is, that when Nov was killed out, the Givonim lost their whole income, because Givonim supplied Nov with water, and they now became destitute – and Shaul was held accountable! We see that all the repercussions of someone’s actions are held against them, in punishment, even though they didn’t even intend it.
We see how awesome middas hadin is, how it demands retribution for every single aspect of an action. Middas Harachmim is thousands of times greater than middas hadin. Certainly, for every aspect of chesed, every repercussion, every single person that is affected, Hashem will reward the person as if they did it themselves.
Another important point to think about is, when we daven, we are constantly asking for Hashem’s mercy and for Him to do chesed with us. We say, ‘שים שלום טובה וברכה חן וחסד ורחמים עלינו,’ Give us peace, goodness, blessing, chein, and kindness, and mercy! If we ask Hashem for that, it is very difficult for those tefillos to be answered if we don’t exhibit those qualities ourselves! If we don’t practice those virtues, if we aren’t kind on a regular basis, there’s very little foundation for our tefillos. All the things we ask for in Shemonah Esray are based on Hashem’s kindness. Specifically regarding parnassah, which we so desperately need, and it is something which is totally dependent on Hashem’s chesed, as we say every day in the beginning of Shemonah Esray – מכלכל חיים בחסד – Hashem provides for all living things with kindness