Part II

Who Should Perform Chesed?

The mitzvah of chesed applies equally to men and to women. It should also be taught to one’s children. There is no better way to inculcate this most precious of traits than by example and by performing the chesed with family members.

Constant Chesed

Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinsky, zt”l, was the gadol hador in the early 20th century. After he passed away, his notes to himself were found. One note stated he should always make sure to perform at least two chasadim per day.

The Chofetz Chaim (Ahavas Chesed 2:12) writes that one cannot allow one day to go by without having performed chesed. He cites Rav Chaim Vital (a student of the Arizal) that one must spend time to consider every day to do chesed and by doing so one achieves atonement for one’s sins.

We must also look for opportunities for chesed. Hashem in His tremendous love for us has created new mediums and technologies for us to be able to better perform chesed. Most people nowadays have a cell phone. The ability to store vast numbers and to call anyone no matter where we are, are actually divinely ordained developments for the purpose of our performing chesed for others.

Chesed is such a remarkable mitzvah, it is even greater than tzedaka, charity. How so? The Gemara in Sukkah (49b) explains that it is greater than tzedaka in three ways: Tzedaka is only with money; chesed can be done with money or with one’s physical body. Tzedaka can only be done for the poor, while chesed can be done for the poor and the wealthy. Tzedaka can only benefit the living, while chesed can benefit either the living or the dead.

The Power of Chesed

The midrash (introduction to Aicha 24) tells us that all the avos listed their own merits to Hashem in order that the nation of Israel should ultimately be redeemed. Avrohom Avinu mentioned his mesiras nefesh involved in Akeidas Yitzchok. Yitzchok, too, cried out and responded that he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Yet, Hashem only responded to Rachel because her merits involved the notion of chesed. She gave the simanim to her sister Leah, so that Leah should not be embarrassed. This is why the pasuk in Yirmiyahu (31:14-16) states, “A voice is heard on High; Rachel is crying for her children.”

We should also be aware that there is no limit to the heights and growth we can accomplish in our chesed. This can be seen from a passage of the Targum Yonasan on Sefer Rus. Boaz tells Rus that he is aware of both how she came and joined up the nation of Israel, and also of all the chesed that she had performed with her mother-in-law. The Targum Yonasan explains that because they were written next to each other and said in the same breath, these two mitzvos were equal to each other.

This is somewhat mind-boggling. Rus was a princess of Moav, a very powerful nation. It is a remarkable notion that one of the top women in society would give it all up to become a lowly member of the Jewish nation who must take tzedaka. Is this lofty mitzvah equal to the mere chesed that she does with her mother-in-law?

The answer, according to Rav Henoch Leibowitz, zt”l, is that there is no spiritual limit to any mitzvah that we perform. If we do a chesed, any chesed, with the right intentions, it can be equal to the greatest of mitzvos.

If Chesed Is Not Done

The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (17b) explains that one who engages in Torah but does not perform chesed alongside it, it is as if he has no Elokah—it is as if he has no God. The midrash (Koheles Rabbah 7:4) tells us that whoever denies gmilas chasadim, it is as if he has denied Hashem — “k’ilu kofer b’ikkar.” The Yalkut Shimoni (Parshas Shoftim #64) states that whoever performs chesed acknowledges all the chesed that Hashem has performed since the exodus from Mitzrayim, and whoever does not perform chesed it is as if he denies all it.

Kavana in Chesed

The mitzvah of chesed is a fulfillment of the Torah commandment of “V’ahavta l’rayacha kamocha, love your neighbor as yourself.” Generally speaking, we rule that when a person fulfills a Torah mitzvah, kavana is required in order for it to count. Kavana means that a person must have in mind that he is fulfilling the mitzvah of Hashem as found in the Torah. This would seem to be the case in regard to chesed as well (See Ahavas Chesed 2:23). However, many poskim have written that although it is required ideally, if one did not have the correct kavana, the mitzvah still counts, post facto. The Chazon Ish was of the opinion that this concept of not receiving credit for a mitzvah when one does it by rote without intent does not apply in regard to mitzvos that are between man and man (Toraso Yehge, Miluim 10).

When the Recipient Ends Up Not Needing the Chesed

What happens when it turns out that the recipient ended up not using or not needing the chesed? The Maharsha in Sukkah (49b) indicates clearly that the person who performed the chesed still receives full schar, credit. Thus, there is no need to feel disappointment when it turns out that the chesed may not have been necessary. One still receives full credit.

Other Aspects of Chesed

Ideally, one should stand when doing chesed, just like the performance of any mitzvah (OC 8, Bais Yoseph, Eliyahu Rabbah and Mishna Brurah). The rationale is that it is giving respect for the mitzvah. Here too, of course, if one did not stand, one still fulfills the mitzvah.

One does not recite a blessing when performing the mitzvah of chesed. There are a few reasons that are given. The Rashba explains (Vol. I #254) that any mitzvah involving the benefit of other human beings, and when they refuse to accept it there will be no mitzvah, does not receive a blessing. Rabbeinu Bachya in his “Kad Hakemach” (Tzitzis) writes that any intellectual mitzvah that one would have performed anyway without a commandment from the Torah does not receive a blessing. The Ohr Zaruah (#140) explains that mitzvos that apply all of the time do not receive a blessing.

With a Smile

When performing the mitzvah of gemilas chasadim one should do so cheerfully and with a smile (Chofetz Chaim,“Sefer Ahavas Chesed,” Vol. II 23). This is predicated upon the same halacha in Shulchan Aruch regarding the giving of charity (Yoreh Deah 249:3). At the opposite extreme, it is stated in Avos D’Rav Nosson (13) that if one gives someone an enormous gift but greets him with a sour expression, it is as if he has done nothing. The same would apply to the mitzvah of chesed.

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