Description: Chapter 7 - 01
Ahavas Chesed
Chapter 7 – 01
In the previous chapter the Chafetz Chaim discussed the great zchus of being osaik in gemilas chasadim, making doing kindness your business, now he will discuss how bad it is when someone distances himself from chesed.
The Gemarah says in Kesuvos, someone who closes his eyes from tzedakah, meaning he chooses to ignore the needs of people, he turns away and doesn’t pay attention, is compared to serving Avodah Zarah – idols rachmanah litzlan. How do we know this? Because the Torah says, regarding lending a poor person money, השמר לך פן יהיה דבר עם לבבך בליעל, watch yourself lest you have a though in your heart, of worthlessness or wickedness. This refers to when the year of Shemittah is coming and the halachah is that after Shemittah all debts are forgiven. Understandably a person would most likely not want to lend money to a poor person before Shemittah. This is what the Torah calls ‘bli’yaal’, wicked, worthless! Because you are turning away and ignoring a person in desperate need.
The Gemarah also warns against refusing to help a poor person, because doing so can cause the tables to turn, causing a person to lose his wealth and possessions, and take the place of the poor man, while the poor man will take his position as wealthy. The Gemarah says, if a poor person comes and asks you, ‘Please support me!’ Which means either give me money, lend me money, help me establish myself, give me a job – any of these. If you support him, its good, but if not, the pasuk says: עשיר ורש נפגשו עושה כולם ה' – a wealthy man and a poor man met, Hashem makes them all! Meaning, Hashem who made the wealthy man wealthy, can make him poor, and Hashem who made the poor person poor, can make him wealthy.
The Medrash says, there’s no person that Hashem doesn’t test. Rich people are tested if their hands are open to giving to the poor! Poor people are tested if they can withstand the suffering of being poor without getting angry at Hashem. If the wealthy person can withstand the test, he will merit to enjoy his possessions in this world and the main portion of his reward is preserved for the world-to-come. If the poor person withstands his test and doesn’t rebel against Hashem, he will receive a double reward in the world-to-come. But a wealthy person who is stingy and rejects all gabbai tzedakah, him and his money will disappear. This is a wheel which revolves in the world, someone who is rich today is poor tomorrow, and he who is poor today can be rich tomorrow. Likewise, Rav Yochanan says someone who holds himself back from doing kindness, is only making himself lose as it says, וחשך מיושר אך למחסור.
Ahavas Chesed
Chapter 7 – 01
In the previous chapter the Chafetz Chaim discussed the great zchus of being osaik in gemilas chasadim, making doing kindness your business, now he will discuss how bad it is when someone distances himself from chesed.
The Gemarah says in Kesuvos, someone who closes his eyes from tzedakah, meaning he chooses to ignore the needs of people, he turns away and doesn’t pay attention, is compared to serving Avodah Zarah – idols rachmanah litzlan. How do we know this? Because the Torah says, regarding lending a poor person money, השמר לך פן יהיה דבר עם לבבך בליעל, watch yourself lest you have a though in your heart, of worthlessness or wickedness. This refers to when the year of Shemittah is coming and the halachah is that after Shemittah all debts are forgiven. Understandably a person would most likely not want to lend money to a poor person before Shemittah. This is what the Torah calls ‘bli’yaal’, wicked, worthless! Because you are turning away and ignoring a person in desperate need.
The Gemarah also warns against refusing to help a poor person, because doing so can cause the tables to turn, causing a person to lose his wealth and possessions, and take the place of the poor man, while the poor man will take his position as wealthy. The Gemarah says, if a poor person comes and asks you, ‘Please support me!’ Which means either give me money, lend me money, help me establish myself, give me a job – any of these. If you support him, its good, but if not, the pasuk says: עשיר ורש נפגשו עושה כולם ה' – a wealthy man and a poor man met, Hashem makes them all! Meaning, Hashem who made the wealthy man wealthy, can make him poor, and Hashem who made the poor person poor, can make him wealthy.
The Medrash says, there’s no person that Hashem doesn’t test. Rich people are tested if their hands are open to giving to the poor! Poor people are tested if they can withstand the suffering of being poor without getting angry at Hashem. If the wealthy person can withstand the test, he will merit to enjoy his possessions in this world and the main portion of his reward is preserved for the world-to-come. If the poor person withstands his test and doesn’t rebel against Hashem, he will receive a double reward in the world-to-come. But a wealthy person who is stingy and rejects all gabbai tzedakah, him and his money will disappear. This is a wheel which revolves in the world, someone who is rich today is poor tomorrow, and he who is poor today can be rich tomorrow. Likewise, Rav Yochanan says someone who holds himself back from doing kindness, is only making himself lose as it says, וחשך מיושר אך למחסור.