Am Yisrael Chai!
That is the battle cry we hear over and over again.
The Jewish Nation Lives.
We believe it.
We live it.
We seem to be saying it often lately.
But sometimes it’s very hard to keep alive in these dark times.
Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
How do we do it?
We have a teaching from the holy Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan. Chofetz Chaim is the appellation given to this 20th century leader of the Jewish people. He entitled his famous book Chofetz Chaim which means pursuer of life. Those words come from Psalms where King David teaches us that he who desires life should guard their tongue from speaking evil and do good.
Rabbi Kagan, The Chofetz Chaim who lived from 1838-1933 wrote
“Today, when the attribute of judgement is very strong (we are being judged harshly by Gd) and there are many challenges and maladies we cannot escape, it is important to be involved with Chessed (acts of loving kindness) as this will awaken Gd’s Chessed. Gd will say (so to speak), these people need loving kindness themselves, yet they are focusing on others and showering them with kindness instead of concentrating on their own needs.
We have been given a formula.
If we want Divine mercy we need to engage in acts of love and care.
This harks back to our Patriarch Abraham who is the personification of loving kindness.
This week’s Torah portion, VaYera begins with Abraham recuperating from the circumcision he has just undergone.
Despite the fact that he is in pain, and the heat of the day is at its peak, and he is even in the exalted position of conversing with Gd, Abraham sees wayfarers in the distance and is anxious to welcome them and tend to their needs.
The Torah which is sparing with words, spares none as it describes the quick pace and hands on involvement this nonagenarian extends on behalf of creating a magnificent meal for his guests.
Abraham was a wealthy man, he had servants at his beck and call.
Yet he did not want to delegate the opportunity to another, and miss a chance to do Chessed.
Abraham was dedicated to kindness to others and he wanted to do all that was necessary, himself!
The story of Abraham’s life is replete with this theme.
In fact it is the attribute of Chessed that Abraham is identified with and the attribute which he implants in his children.
One of the attributes of the Jewish People is that we do loving kindness.
Nowadays, getting through each day is challenging.
The stories of the barbarism wreaked against the Kibbutzim in the South of Israel are horrifying.
Antisemitism is everywhere.
And the backdrop of everything is the perpetual worry over the hostages.

Today in Jerusalem, thousands of women gathered together to pray for the release of the hostages.
There were many family members in attendance and some were able to share about their loved ones.
One woman was there to represent the children who don’t have mothers anymore.
There wasn’t a dry eye as she explained her role and read out the many names of freshly minted orphans who are among the hostages.
(As she read their names and ages I had the shivers as it reminded me of the Children’s Memorial at Yad VaShem where the names of the children who died are read out in a similar manner).
The beloved Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi was there to share words of inspiration. She shared two ideas that are so powerful.
She questioned the purpose of such a gathering. After all they weren’t actually “doing” anything?
She rejoined with explaining the immense power of women praying together. And she reminded us of the dictum from our Sages “tzarot rabim, chatzi Nechama” a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved.
All of us help bear the weight and pain on our collective shoulders and we can lighten the burden a bit for our sisters who wait for their loved ones to return.
That is a huge Chessed.
We are sitting with them in their pain. There are no words. Just presence.
Then the Rabbanit shared that she spoke with a woman who has suffered great loss in these days. She went so far to ask if she was perhaps cursed.
The Rabbanit answered that she is actually a woman of blessing.
There is so much love in her heart. Love that is unrequited. But an abundance of love nonetheless. The Rabbanit told her to channel all that love and shower it on someone nearby who needs it.
The epitome of loving kindness.
Sharing love for another even when one is in pain.
We learn this lesson from Aaron, the High Priest, brother of Moses, who tragically lost two of his sons.
After the incident he comes out to the people with hands outreached.
They ask, Aaron are you showing us your empty arms, signifying the loss of your children?
Aaron replied, I have so much love to give that I cannot shower on my children now so I reach out my arms to you my people, and he bestows the Priestly Blessing of Peace upon them.
We are so worried now.
In Hebrew the word for worry is Deaga.
But that word also means “to take care of”.
Let’s turn our worry into taking care of someone else.
Here are some examples I heard just today.
A lawyer was asked to extend an interest free loan to someone in need.
He didn’t hesitate to do the Chessed and provided the loan.
A doctor was called after hours to consult with someone passing through town, who would never be a patient or pay a bill, but needed his particular expertise.
He didn’t hesitate and said have them call me right now.
And a daughter was called upon to provide some desperately needed R&R to her parent who is in a caretaker role.
She didn’t hesitate, even though it’s difficult to leave her other parent.
Doing Chessed can come in a myriad of shapes and sizes.
All that matters is that it helps someone in need.
And funnily enough it often brings life to the own who does it.
It’s the life giving elixir for our people.
The above mentioned doctor was in an elevator today and he overheard a smattering of Hebrew between two fellow passengers.
He “bageled” them and said
“Am Yisrael Chai”.
They responded in kind with
Am Yisrael Chai.
And then one by one, all the other people in the elevator chimed in
Am Yisrael Chai!
Really!
Shabbat Shalom and So much love!