Avraham Avinu is known as the amud, pillar, of chesed. He went beyond the call of duty in order to provide for the needs of those who were not as fortunate as he. It was this character trait which he introduced and inculcated into the psyche of his descendants. Chesed takes on many forms. It all depends on the attitude of the benefactor. For the most part, they see a need, and they immediately respond. Then there are those who innovate, who think before they act, who understand that chesed goes deeper than fulfilling a need. One must acknowledge the value of chesed and the extraordinary merit that it garners for one who extends himself. Successful chesed requires innovation and cognition, awareness of an opportunity for performing chesed and doing something about it. Understanding the extraordinary merit engendered by acts of chesed is what elevates a simple act of kindness onto a lofty spiritual plane.
Two stories capture these ideas. Horav Chaim Kreisworth, zl, was a brilliant gaon without peer. Equal to his erudition was his uncanny understanding of the value of chesed and employing every opportunity to act upon it. He was visiting London, and he arrived at the home of his host, one of Europe’s greatest philanthropists, after every shul minyan had already davened Maariv. Understandably upset, he knew that he was now compelled to daven Maariv b’yechidus, alone, without a minyan. As such, he sought a place/room in the house that was most propitious to daven, a place where his tefillos had greater efficacy. [While Hashem listens to all our sincere tefillos, regardless of the venue in which they are expressed, it helps to pray in a place mesugal, most meritorious, as a backdrop for his prayers.] He went from room to room searching for that special place. One would think that it would be the study, filled with seforim, a place used for Torah study. Wrong. He chose the kitchen, since much of the food prepared there was used to feed those in need. This was his depth of understanding the middah of chesed.
Horav Aizik Sher, zl, Rosh Yeshivah of Slabodka, was giving a fiery shmuess, mussar/character refinement, talk, to members of the Kollel, married men who devoted themselves 24/7 to Torah study. The Rosh Yeshivah was all fired up with his brilliant talk. Suddenly, the door to the room opened up and there stood his Rebbetzin, daughter of the Alter, zl, m’Slabodka. She pointed to her watch and said, “It is Erev Shabbos, and these young men must go home to help their wives and families.” Rav Aizik closed his sefer and bid everyone a Gutt Shabbos. This is how she thought: Mussar is vital, but not at the expense of chesed. Obviously, the Rosh Yeshivah concurred.
