Day 244
Rachel Polin, mother of Hersh, who is still languishing in captivity, was asked to address a gathering of Chabad Campus outreach workers. Rachel thanked the women for carving out time in their busy schedule to support her and join her in prayer on behalf of Hersh.
She is praying for the rescue and release of Hersh Ben Chana Perel and the women in attendance prayed with her.
She was surrounded by their loving embrace.
It must have given her a modicum of comfort and surely gave her courage to continue in her brave fight on behalf of her son.
As I watched the event and speech I was taken with the kindness these women exhibited, not only taking of their time but showing up in a deeply meaningful manner.
That is Chessed.
Loving kindness.
A hallmark of a Jew.
Recently, a Holocaust survivor by the name of Marion Blumenthal addressed a group of young adults. This woman who grew up having experienced unspeakable horrors had a message for her young audience. They assumed she would exhort them to never forget or stand up to the enemy as no fight.
Instead her message was
“Be kind to one another”
Despite the darkness this woman has experienced, her motto is to be kind.
That is the hallmark of a Jew.
If we aren’t kind we cannot survive.
Next week we will celebrate the holiday of Shavuot.
This is the holiday when we celebrate the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people.
On Shavuot we read the book of Ruth which is the story of a Moabite princess who cast her lot with the Jewish people. One might assume that is the reason we read this book on Shavuot.
Just as the Jewish nation accepted the Torah, so too did Ruth when she converted.
Makes sense.
Our Sages give another explanation.
They call this book a book of Chessed, loving kindness.
The story is told in great detail to flesh out the extreme kindness that was done.
Here is the story in a nutshell.

There was a wealthy family who lived the land of Israel. Due to the sins of the people, Gd inflicted a famine on the land. The wealthy patriarch, who could’ve fed everyone with his fortune, instead jumped ship. He did not want to part with his fortune. He chose to move his family to Moav, a country so identified with stinginess that the Jewish people are prohibited from marrying a Moabite convert. The family settles in this Moab land whose values are diametrically opposed to Jewish beliefs of tzeddaka and loving kindness. The sons marry two Moabite princesses, but the story evolves into tragedy as the patriarch and his sons die, leaving three widows, Naomi, the matriarch, and her two daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah. Naomi realizes that all that is left to her is to return back to her homeland and she encourages her daughters in law to return to their royal roots.
After much crying, Orpah does return, but Ruth remains and says the famous expression
“Wherever you go I shall go, your people are mine…”
This indicates her intention to convert.
Here lies the root of the Chessed/loving kindness.
Naomi was an exceptional Mother In Law (no small feat) her daughters in law loved her for all the genuine kindness she showered upon them. When the time came and she would be left alone, that kindness came back to her as Ruth would not allow Naomi to go it alone, even though it would mean a life of poverty and suffering for her.
This starts a trajectory of events which results after much travail in Ruth being the ancestress of King David and ultimately the matriarch of Moshiach.
It’s a riveting story, well worth the read.
The book of Ruth teaches us that we can never know how one action can set of a chain of events that can change the world.
“This book has no laws, no mitzvot, it is just to teach us how much reward comes to those who act with loving kindness.” Midrash Ruth Rabba
This week I attended the funeral of a woman in our community. I had known her for many years, but I now realize I had only gotten a glimpse of her greatness.
Her children shared many stories of her generous nature. Many of these stories had to do with the anonymous providing of food and money to those in need. And sone of the stories were seemingly small, minor acts of kindness.
One such behavior related to umbrellas. In her car she stocked multiple. Once when she was driving she passed a pedestrian who was getting soaked in an unexpected downpour. She slowed down and handed the person her umbrella. From them on she had a few umbrellas in the car and had multiple opportunities to give them away. It was a small gesture, but certainly one much appreciated by the sodden recipient.
Someone who was at the funeral heard that story. Yesterday when he had to go out, he grabbed an umbrella as it looked like rain. And then he paused and grabbed a few more to put in the car, just in case a mitzva opportunity would come his way.
Loving kindness is funny that way. You can do what seems like a very small deed and still make an impact.
And if you can follow the path of that deed, it may be the source of an eternal change, resulting in the bringing of Moshiach.
Our times are so challenging.
We can only hope to make it if we do something good for someone else.
That will access the Gdliness inside ourselves. And when we remember we are Gdly and we look at someone else and recognize the Gdly spark within, we have taken the path to eternity, to peace.
Rachel Polin received a boost from the ladies who joined to pray for her son, and it strengthened her resolve to do all in her power to bring him home.
May it be soon.
Any day now!
Have a happy Shavuot.
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!