Pour Down Blessing

In my previous article A Special Letter from Rabbi Arush, you learned that it is possible to live just for the purpose of giving to others. Even if it seems difficult to imagine this as your entire purpose in life, to whatever extent that you give more, you will also feel more fulfillment in your life. The giving fills your soul with the light of Hashem. 

Now, let’s expand on this concept with another incredible story: 

In the days of the Amora Rabbi Tanchuma, there was a terrible drought. He called upon the entire community to fast and pray for three days – but no rain came. Then, he called the entire community around again and said, “If fasting, prayer and repentance did not bear fruit, then the decree is a very harsh one. The only way to overturn it is with kindness and tzedakah, with all of our strength! Everyone, leave your homes and help each other in whatever ways you can!” 

One particular man ran home and grabbed a large sack of money to give to the poor. He went to the marketplace to give it out. His ex-wife ran up to him, begging him for her life. She didn’t have enough money for food and her clothes were in rags. He had mercy on her and gave her the entire bag of money. 

What he didn’t know was that a student of Rabbi Tanchuma saw the exchange. Not understanding what was happening, and fearing that something inappropriate might have happened, he reported that he saw this man and his ex-wife in close contact. 

Rabbi Tanchuma called the man in, asking for an explanation. The man explained that he went to the marketplace to give tzedakah in order to fulfill the advice of the Rav, saw his ex-wife in her decrepit state, and had mercy on her and gave her the money– even though he owed her nothing, and despite his hard feelings towards her. 

Rabbi Tanchuma was amazed by this man’s great deed, and lifted his hands to Heaven and said, “Master of the Universe, if flesh and blood can overcome his cruelty and have mercy on his ex-wife, please, we are Your children! How much more so should you have mercy on us!” And indeed, within the hour it began to pour… 

We see here that kindness can also sweeten harsh judgments on the world, and benefit even those not directly involved in the kindness.  

Even more crucially – the world needs big, big miracles and mercy right now. We don’t just need rain – we need a downpour! 

Even if everything seems locked shut – having mercy on others can throw the gates of bounty wide open! Even the harshest judgements can be sweetened through mercy and acts of selfless giving! 

This is because G-d created the world in order to have mercy and do good to His creations as the verse says, “The world is built on kindness.” Nothing fulfills this purpose more than when His creations model after Him, and do good to each other, even without deserving it.  

On the flip side, nothing distances the world more from its purpose than when people are cruel to each other – and therefore, the world no longer has a purpose to exist G-d forbid.  

Therefore, I call on you to fulfill the last will of my Rabbi, Rabbi Yehuda Zev Lebovitch zt”l, who promised that someone careful to fulfill his will be saved from suffering before Moshiach comes: “Help others, have mercy, give in – and especially, don’t yell!” 

Don’t forget to apply this advice to those closest to you. Have mercy on your spouse, on your children, on your parents, on your siblings. Have mercy on them. Give to them without expectation of getting anything back, let go of any hard feelings, and cancel your will.  

The benefits are well worth the effort.