Chessed shel Emmet
In this week's parsha, Yaakov makes Yosef take an oath that Yosef will bury his father in Eretz Yisrael. In his introduction to this task, Yaakov asks his son to do for him "chesed v'emet" (kindness and truth).
Rashi explains that burying the dead is an act of chesed shel emet because the person doing the act does not expect any payback from the recipient. The Siftei Chachamim (Rav Shabtai Bass, Poland, 1641-1718 one of the primary commentaries on Rashi), says that chesed shel emet is not limited only to burial of the dead. Rather, it refers to any act of kindness for which the person performing the kindness expects nothing in return.
Two questions:
1) A person involved in burying the dead does receive rewards! S/he often gets paid for the work, ofetn gets the gratitude of the family and is often honored at dinners, etc. (at least I hope so!). If so, to what is Rashi referring when he says that a person involved in these kinds of acts gets nothing in return?
2) When the Siftei Chachamim says any act of kindness for which the person receives nothing in return is called a chesed shel emet, what other actions could he be including?
I think the answer to both questions is this: despite the fact that a person who does taharot and other incredible acts of chesed gets recognized (as well s/he should!), there is a value in being recognized by the recipient himself/herself. For better or worse, we like it when the people for whom we do nicethings recognizes us and expresses gratitude. It is all well and good if other people recognize the act of kindness, but there is something missing when the recipient of the chessed does not know it. Acts like that are truly acts of chesed shel emet because the recipient does not - indeed cannot! - express gratitude.
If this is the case, a number of acts of kindness fall into this category (such as tzedakah). I think teaching therefore is, more often than not, an act of chesed shel emet. Teachers spend long hours at home and on weekends thinking about their students and how they can be helped. They work tirelessly with and for their students. Most students - especially in the younger grades - will never know how much their teachers toiled for them.
Sure there is a general "thank you" that can and should be expressed to our teachers, but it will never be complete because the recipients themselves have no way of knowing how much the teachers have done for them!
Rashi explains that burying the dead is an act of chesed shel emet because the person doing the act does not expect any payback from the recipient. The Siftei Chachamim (Rav Shabtai Bass, Poland, 1641-1718 one of the primary commentaries on Rashi), says that chesed shel emet is not limited only to burial of the dead. Rather, it refers to any act of kindness for which the person performing the kindness expects nothing in return.
Two questions:
1) A person involved in burying the dead does receive rewards! S/he often gets paid for the work, ofetn gets the gratitude of the family and is often honored at dinners, etc. (at least I hope so!). If so, to what is Rashi referring when he says that a person involved in these kinds of acts gets nothing in return?
2) When the Siftei Chachamim says any act of kindness for which the person receives nothing in return is called a chesed shel emet, what other actions could he be including?
I think the answer to both questions is this: despite the fact that a person who does taharot and other incredible acts of chesed gets recognized (as well s/he should!), there is a value in being recognized by the recipient himself/herself. For better or worse, we like it when the people for whom we do nicethings recognizes us and expresses gratitude. It is all well and good if other people recognize the act of kindness, but there is something missing when the recipient of the chessed does not know it. Acts like that are truly acts of chesed shel emet because the recipient does not - indeed cannot! - express gratitude.
If this is the case, a number of acts of kindness fall into this category (such as tzedakah). I think teaching therefore is, more often than not, an act of chesed shel emet. Teachers spend long hours at home and on weekends thinking about their students and how they can be helped. They work tirelessly with and for their students. Most students - especially in the younger grades - will never know how much their teachers toiled for them.
Sure there is a general "thank you" that can and should be expressed to our teachers, but it will never be complete because the recipients themselves have no way of knowing how much the teachers have done for them!
posted by T.Y.I.I. at
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
1 Comments:
Thanks tuesdaywishes for your comments. I think I may have overstated how much people in the Chevra Kadisha get "paid" for their work. Your point is well taken. I must say that you are correct. I wish they could get the recognition they most certainly deserve.
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