Ahavat Chessed - Loving Kindness - Chofetz Chaim - Lesson 1

We are starting the famous work Ahavat Chessed - Loving Kindness - written by the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan.

This is an amazing work that teaches us the values of loving kindness. Not just practising kindness, but how to actually come to love kindness.

We are living in an especially difficult time at the moment with the Coronavirus and it is important for us to increase in our acts of lovingkindness towards each other. I start this lesson with some insights into the attribute of kindness and some ideas of how we can work on increasing kindness with each other.

Thereafter we begin from Chapter 2 of the famous work (dealing with how we can understand the attribute of kindness and how to implement it.) The book has been divided into small sections to help learn it again and again over a three month period.

In this lesson we go through the first two days of reading where we find out why it is that sometimes things get taken away from us and that if we see this in the correct light, we can understand why it is happening to us this way. Thereafter we find out what it really means to love kindness and how this will help us to be better.

Now, more than ever, we must increase in loving kindness - caring for one another, wishing the best for one another and doing whatever we can to turn around our moments of self-quarantine and distance from each other - to moments of connection and love!

Homeless Man Does Extraordinary Act (Video)

I am constantly on the look out for acts of kindness! Of course, practising them oneself is the most important thing - that goes without saying. What amazes me is to see the tremendous kindness so often exhibited by those who don't have. I am amazed at the inconsistency regarding the ratio of wealth to actual goodness performed. How can it be that some are blessed with billions of dollars, and yet others have nothing save for their lives?

While the billionaire awakens with a full bank account each day, the poor man awakens to wonder how he will survive the day... Yet ironically, he will still find the means to give to someone that day. If they have nothing - they will so often given up their lives so that another may live. One who is blessed is surely tested each day and should become aware of the enormous responsibility on his shoulders - to others. If the poor can give up their lives for another - what will the wealthy person answer as to his reason for withholding his wealth?

This video shows the amazing quality that King Solomon speaks about. "There is one who feigns riches but has nothing; one who feigns poverty but has great wealth" (Proverbs 13:7). There are those who seem to be wealthy - but they have nothing. In truth, their wealth is never used. What then is it's benefit?! What honour can their be to feign the riches which will never be used to help others in need?! 

While charity may be given - the bulk of their wealth remains locked up with no benefit accruing from it. Yet, there is another who seems poor (who really is poor) - yet his actions show how wealthy he really is. This man in the video shows us that sometimes it is those who lack everything - who are the wealthiest of all. "Who is wealthy?" Ben Zoma asks. "One who is satisfied with his lot," he answers.

Though this be the case, as a nation who should show others the light of life - we should constantly do everything we can to never have to see another in need - not for anything. It is not just the amazing video we need to see. It is not the amazing quality of watching one is lacks - give. It is for those of us who have, to do everything we can - so that another never need to go without.

Never Forget What Your One Act of Kindness Can Do For Another (Video - Social Experiment)

There really are no words good enough to describe the powerful message of this video.

"Never look down on somebody, unless you are helping them up". We must treat everybody with respect. Everybody deserves their chance at life.

The Best Ways of Ever Giving Charity: Two Awesome Videos

Everyone knows that giving charity is one of life's major tests. It's not always easy to give even when we have the best of intentions. But there are always times we do want to give. We want to make the difference in another's life - especially when we know just how much they need help. Everybody needs help - at some point in time. It's always good - as they say - to pay it forwards.

I had seen the video below a few weeks ago and it caught my attention. The Rambam lists 8 levels of charity. The highest when we help someone get a job, employ him (and pay him WELL,) support his activities, give him a loan, refer others to him etc. etc. The list continues with aspects concerning the giver and recipient and which of the parties is aware that the other is involved in the transaction. The lowest level is giving even when one does so begrudgingly.

Here's a quick story of someone who wanted to give to others without embarrassing them:

A wealthy man once wanted to make sure that the poor of his town were taken care of. He did not want to embarrass them with his gifts. What did he do? He had a company ship over a quantity of bricks to his home and instructed them to place the bricks on his front lawn. He then called up the first needy man and told him he had a problem! He was in need of the bricks - but in his backyard! He would pay him $200 if he could move the bricks there so that he could continue with some work. What a pleasure - thought the poor man. Just a couple of hours later, it was all done - and he was $200 richer!

The wealthy man then called another of the poor in town. He explained to him that some bricks had been delivered and placed in the backyard. He needed them on the front lawn. He would pay him well - $200 if he could help. The poor man was only too happy! In just a couple of hours the bricks were on the front lawn - and this poor man - like the other, was already $200 richer!

And so the wealthy man continued - assisting in this same way - for all the poor in town.

Giving is something we can all do to help another. We can do it even without embarrassing them! There's always a way to make it happen!

In our video, a man does the same thing - making one in-need "wealthy" without causing any embarrassment! (Surely he would have found out later - but this is not the point. At the time it was happening, the man in need had no idea what was planned.) We should watch and learn - that giving in ways that do not cause embarrassment to the other are indeed ranked in the highest of levels of charity.

It was the follow up to this story that blew me away the most! You'll have to watch it to believe it. Those who saw the act of kindness, were so encouraged, so taken in by the good deed, that they also wanted a part. They also wanted to help this homeless man. They did so by donating generously! So much money came in that they were able to purchase a home for the homeless man (see the deal in the video) and assist him with some very fine furnishings! This is indeed an aspect of the highest level of charity.

Chessed Ve'Emet is also involved in assisting those who lack, to be able to own their own home items, including furniture, appliances and other necessities - all brand new! Our dream is to be able to assist those lacking to be able - very much like this man - to own their very own homes. Any time one is involved in showing others the importance of giving to the highest extent possible creates a great Kiddush Hashem - a sanctification of the Name of G-d. Likewise we can well imagine what discouraging others from performing such acts of kindness can do, let alone showing up the true lack of value they have for another. We really do need to watch videos like this and see that even amongst the nations of the world, there are those who value the honour of another and wish for their very best - nothing less than the best! Imagine how much more beautiful this world would be, if instead of always thinking that the other could get by on the street, we would think of how to assist them to live in dignity and honour!

For those wanting to learn more of our activities, see our main page: Bayit Chadash - Wedding Project - assisting orphans to marry in dignity.

This video is extremely powerful! May we learn to perform acts of kindness in similar ways and give wherever we can to those in need.

It's FREEZING! What Would You Have Done? What Would You Do?

The excuse is always what we will do "one day" that counts. We all talk about the times when we'll have the money - just how many people we will help! How many times have we heard this from others? The future is open and when the good times come - we'll be giving to everybody! Then of course, are the times when we see what others have done - and say the same thing! If we were there, then we too would have done the exact same thing!

But life is about the now. It's about doing what counts right this moment - to those who may need more than we do. What would we do right now, if we saw the situation truly needed something? Would we be there to help - or would we talk of the past - of doing what others have already done? Or perhaps we would talk of the future - of just how much we will help when we have it all (if we ever do.)

Let's see what others really do do - in this beautiful video clip. This is reality. Here are the real people of the world. Are you one of them? The situation demands immediate attention. Are we willing to give in - right away? So many do. To see it happening is an inspiration. Don't forget, you can always be one of these people. It takes courage to stand out from the crowd - to help the other when they are in need. But that's what it's really all about. It's not about discussing what work they're doing at the time, nor criticizing why it is that they're now freezing ("you made your bed...") It's about real action. It's about now. That's what's required - from every one of us. There really are no excuses - when it comes to doing an additional kindness for someone - without demanding answers - when they're suffering.

Podcast - Assisting Orphans to Marry - with Reb Eliyahu, Shoshanah & Errol Ballen (Radio Protea)

For those new to our activities, enjoy this wonderful podcast as Errol Ballen from Radio Protea interviewed us last night discussing the variety of activities we are involved in. You'll hear more about the Torah outreach we do, our Mitzvah projects - and most notably, the Bayit Chadash Wedding Project - assisting orphans to marry. We come in at about 47:10. Enjoy! Do be in touch with us to find our more about becoming a partner in kindness together with us!

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