Zechusamזכותם
Lehavas David · Parshas Beshalach · Maamar ח

Kindness Below Opens the Sea Above

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Shemos 15:1
אָז יָשִׁיר־מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לַיהֹוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר אָשִׁירָה לַיהֹוָה כִּי־גָאֹה גָּאָה סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ רָמָה בַיָּם
Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael sang this song to Hashem, and they spoke, saying: “I will sing to Hashem, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He hurled into the sea.”
1“Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael sang …”1 On this verse the Midrash says: “This is what is written: ‘She opens her mouth with wisdom, and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue.’ From the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world until Israel stood at the sea, we do not find anyone who sang a song to Him except Israel. He created Adam HaRishon, and Adam did not sing a song. He saved Avraham from the fiery furnace and from the kings, and Avraham did not sing a song. So too Yitzchak was saved from the knife, and he did not sing a song. So too Yaakov was saved from the angel, from Esav and from the people of Shechem, and he did not sing a song. But as soon as Israel came to the sea and it split for them, at once they sang a song before Him, as it says, ‘Then Moshe and Bnei Yisrael sang.’ This is ‘She opens her mouth with wisdom.’”2 But why does the Midrash open by citing the words “and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue”? What does a Torah of kindness have to do with the Song of the Sea?
אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (טו, א). אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (שמות רבה כג, ד) עַל זֶה הַכָּתוּב, הָדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי לא, כו) ״פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ״, מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הקב״ה אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְעַד שֶׁעָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַיָּם לֹא מָצִינוּ אָדָם שֶׁאָמַר שִׁירָה להקב״ה אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּרָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא אָמַר שִׁירָה, הִצִּיל אַבְרָהָם מִכִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ וּמִן הַמְּלָכִים וְלֹא אָמַר שִׁירָה, וְכֵן יִצְחָק מִן הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת וְלֹא אָמַר שִׁירָה, וְכֵן יַעֲקֹב מִן הַמַּלְאָךְ וּמִן עֵשָׂו וּמִן אַנְשֵׁי שְׁכֶם וְלֹא אָמַר שִׁירָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיָּם וְנִקְרַע לָהֶם, מִיָּד אָמְרוּ שִׁירָה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, הֱוֵי ׳פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה׳, ע״כ. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין רֵישׁ דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ׳, מַה הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת בֵּין תּוֹרַת חֶסֶד לְשִׁירַת הַיָּם.
  1. Shemos 15:1. ↩
  2. Shemos Rabbah 23:4; Mishlei 31:26. ↩
In shortThe Midrash links the first song ever sung to Hashem to “a Torah of kindness”; but what has kindness to do with song?
2Let us begin with a teaching of my holy father and teacher, zt"l, on the verse “And You said, ‘I will surely do good with you.’”3 My holy father explained it through a teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l, quoted in the Kedushas Levi, on the verse “Hashem is your shadow.”4 A shadow does whatever the person does. In the same way, as it were, a person is treated from above just as he conducts himself below: if he acts with mercy, Heaven has mercy on him too. That is the meaning of “And You said, ‘Heitev eitiv imach’”: when a Jew conducts himself in the way of goodness, heitev, Hashem, blessed be He, says, “Eitiv imach, I will do good with you.” We must pay the closest attention to the suffering of our fellow Jews, so that they lack nothing good, because their suffering reaches above, as it is written, “In all their affliction He is afflicted.”5 So we should do good to our fellow Jews, for by doing so we do good above, as it were, and draw this quality of goodness and kindness down below. Those are his holy words.
וְנַקְדִּים אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ מֵאֵת כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה (קדושת חלקת יהושע וישלח) עַל הַכָּתוּב (בראשית לב, יג) ״וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב עִמָּךְ״, וּפֵירֵשׁ עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵי הבעש״ט זצללה״ה (הובא בקדושת לוי פרשה זו) עַל הַכָּתוּב (תהילים קכא, ה) ״ה׳ צִלְּךָ״, דִּכְמוֹ שֶׁהַצֵּל עוֹשֶׂה כְּפִי מַה שֶׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה, כֵּן כִּבְיָכוֹל כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָאָדָם מִתְנַהֵג לְמַטָּה כֵּן מַנְהִיגִין אוֹתוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה, לָכֵן אִם מִתְנַהֵג בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים, גַּם מִלְמַעְלָה מְרַחֲמִין עָלָיו. וְזֶהוּ ״וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ הֵיטֵב״, שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְנַהֵג בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹב, אֲזַי ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ אוֹמֵר ״אֵיטִיב עִמָּךְ״. וּצְרִיכִים לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּיוֹתֵר עַל צַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַל יֶחְסַר לָהֶם כָּל טוּב, כִּי צַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹגֵעַ לְמַעְלָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו סג, ט) ״בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר״, וְלָכֵן יֵשׁ לְהֵיטִיב עִם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁבָּזֶה מְטִיבִים כִּבְיָכוֹל כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה, וּמַמְשִׁיךְ מִדָּה זוֹ שֶׁל טוֹב וְחֶסֶד לְמַטָּה, עכדה״ק.
  1. Kedushas Chelkas Yehoshua, Vayishlach; Bereishis 32:13. ↩
  2. Kedushas Levi, Beshalach; Tehillim 121:5. ↩
  3. Yeshayahu 63:9. ↩
In shortLike a shadow, Hashem treats a person as he treats others, the Rebbe's father taught; so doing good to Jews draws goodness down.
3aTo understand this better, let us also cite my holy ancestor, zy"a,6 in his holy sefer Toldos Adam. He explains the verse “Please speak in the ears of the people, and let each man ask of his fellow, and each woman of her fellow, vessels of silver and vessels of gold …”7 Why does it say na, “please,” which Chazal tell us is a word of request?8 Why did Hashem need to ask them, and urge them, to do this? Who would not want vessels of silver and gold and every good thing? The words “each man of his fellow” are also difficult. Could the Egyptians be called the “fellows” of Bnei Yisrael?
וּבִכְדֵי לְהָבִין הָעִנְיָן יוֹתֵר, נַקְדִּים עוֹד אִמְרֵי זְקֵינִי זיע״א בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם (פרשת בא) שֶׁכָּתַב לְפָרֵשׁ מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (יא, ב) ״דַּבֶּר נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב״ וְגוֹ׳, וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר ׳נָא׳ שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה כְּמַאֲמָרָם ז״ל (ברכות ט, ב), לָמָּה הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְבַקְּשָׁם וּלְהַזְהִירָם עַל זֶה, וְכִי מִי הָאִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא יַחְפּוֹץ בִּכְלֵי כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וְכָל טוּב. עוֹד קָשֶׁה הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ׳, וְכִי הַמִּצְרִים נִקְרְאוּ רָעִים לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
  1. R' Yehoshua of Ostrova, author of Toldos Adam, father-in-law of the first Biala Rebbe. ↩
  2. Toldos Adam, Bo; Shemos 11:2. ↩
  3. Berachos 9b. ↩
3bThe Toldos Adam explained it through the principle we have just seen with “Hashem is your shadow”: what those below do awakens something matching it above, in the same pattern. So for an abundance of goodness and kindness to come to Bnei Yisrael, they themselves had to treat one another with goodness and kindness. That is why the command came, “Let each man ask of his fellow, and each woman of her fellow, vessels of silver and vessels of gold.”9 Hashem was commanding Bnei Yisrael to lend to one another and treat each other with kindness. Through this He would give the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians,10 and the Egyptians, too, would lend them vessels of gold and silver. Those are his holy words.
וּפֵירֵשׁ בָּזֶה עַל פִּי הָעִנְיָן הַנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂה הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים מִתְעוֹרֵר כְּנֶגֶד זֶה וּבְדוּגְמַת זֶה לְמַעְלָה, וְעַל כֵּן בִּכְדֵי לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁפַע טוֹב וְחֶסֶד, הָיָה צוֹרֶךְ שֶׁיִּתְנַהֲגוּ בְּעַצְמָם זֶה עִם זֶה בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַחֶסֶד, וְעַל זֶה בָּא הַצִּיוּוּי ״וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וְכָל זָהָב״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁצִּיוָּם שֶׁיַּשְׁאִילוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל זֶה לָזֶה וְיִתְנַהֲגוּ זֶה עִם זֶה בְּמִדַּת הַחֶסֶד, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתֵּן ה׳ אֶת חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרַיִם וַיַּשְׁאִילוּם גַּם הֵם כְּלֵי זָהָב וְכֶסֶף, עכדה״ק.
  1. The Hebrew word for “ask” (veyish'alu) shares its root with the word for “lend” (yash'ilu). ↩
  2. Shemos 11:3. ↩
In shortHashem asked the Jews to lend to one another, the Toldos Adam explains, because only their kindness to each other would awaken the Egyptians' generosity.
4This lets us explain a teaching of the early Midrash Tanna Devei Eliyahu: “Come and see the difference between those who went out of Egypt, who are of the seed of Yaakov, and the nations, who are of the seed of Esav. Those who went out of Egypt had one mitzvah in their hands, and it pleased the Holy One, blessed be He, far more than a hundred mitzvos. What was this one mitzvah? They all joined together in one band and made a covenant to do kindness with one another …”11 The words “those who went out of Egypt” suggest that they renewed this covenant at the time they left Egypt. But why was their covenant about kindness to one another in particular? In light of what we have explained, we may say that they saw that the beginning of Israel's redemption, in body and in spirit, had come about through kindness. That is why they chose kindness as the subject of their covenant. We know that a covenant means standing by one's friend in a time of trouble even beyond what reason would require, simply because one has made a covenant with him. Even when the friend's deeds make him unworthy of kindness, one cannot break the covenant, and one must always keep giving kindness to one's fellows.
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר בָּזֶה מַה דְּאִיתָא בְּתַנָּא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ (רבה פרק כד), בֹּא וּרְאֵה מַה בֵּין יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁהֵן מִזֶּרַע שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב וּבֵין הַגּוֹיִים שֶׁהֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם מִצְוָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בְּיָדָן וְהָיְתָה לִפְנֵי הקב״ה נוֹחַ הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִן מֵאָה מִצְוֹת, וּמַהוּ הַמִּצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּיָדָם, שֶׁעָשׂוּ כּוּלָּם אֲגוּדָּה אַחַת וְכָרְתוּ בְּרִית לִגְמוֹל חֶסֶד זֶה עִם זֶה וְכוּ׳. וּמִמַּשְׁמָעוּת הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם׳ נִרְאֶה, דִּבְעֵת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם חָזְרוּ וְכָרְתוּ בְּרִית זוֹ, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר לָמָּה כָּרְתוּ בְּרִית דַּוְוקָא עַל עִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁל עֲשִׂיַּית חֶסֶד זֶה עִם זֶה. וּלְפִי הַמְּבוֹאָר לְעֵיל יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דִּלְפִי שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁהַתְחָלַת גְּאוּלַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיּוּת בָּאָה עַל יְדֵי חֶסֶד, לָכֵן כָּרְתוּ בְּרִית זֶה עִם זֶה דַּוְקָא בְּעִנְיַן גְּמִילוּת חֶסֶד. וְנוֹדַע שֶׁעִנְיַן הַבְּרִית הוּא לַעֲמוֹד לִימִין חֲבֵירוֹ בְּעֵת צָרָה אַף שֶׁלֹּא עַל פִּי שֵׂכֶל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁכָּרַת עִמּוֹ בְּרִית, דְּאַף בְּעֵת שֶׁחֲבֵירוֹ אֵינוֹ רָאוּי מִצַּד מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד, מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֵינֶנּוּ יָכוֹל לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתוֹ, וְתָמִיד יֵשׁ עָלָיו לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ חֶסֶד לַחֲבֵירָיו.
  1. Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 24. ↩
In shortLeaving Egypt, Bnei Yisrael sealed a covenant of kindness, having seen their redemption begin through kindness; a covenant binds even toward the undeserving.
5Before the splitting of the Red Sea, Israel stood under judgment. As Chazal said, the angel appointed over the sea accused Israel: “These are idol worshippers, and those are idol worshippers.”12 But Bnei Yisrael had made a covenant of kindness. Even when a friend does not behave as he should, one does not call him to account for his deeds; “one does not investigate a request for food,”13 but gives him tzedakah and kindness. So, measure for measure, Heaven too gave them kindness they had not earned. This explains the verse “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue,” which Chazal applied to the Song of the Sea. The whole Song of the Sea, and the splitting of the sea itself, came only through the power of Israel's kindness. That is the connection between “a Torah of kindness” and the Song.
וְהִנֵּה קוֹדֶם קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נְתוּנִים בְּדִין, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (זוהר ח״ב קע, ב) שֶׁשָּׁרוּ שֶׁל יָם קִטְרֵג עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַךְ הֱיוֹת וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּרְתוּ בְּרִית לְעִנְיַן חֶסֶד, שֶׁאַף בְּעֵת שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵירוֹ מִתְנַהֵג כָּרָאוּי אֵין עוֹשִׂים עִמּוֹ דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן עַל מַעֲשָׂיו, וְאֵין בּוֹדְקִין לִמְזוֹנוֹת וְעוֹשִׂים עִמּוֹ צְדָקָה וְחֶסֶד, לָכֵן מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה גַּם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁפִּיעוּ עֲלֵיהֶם חֶסֶד חִינָּם. וּלְפִי זֶה יְבוֹאַר הַכָּתוּב ״פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ״ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רז״ל לְעִנְיַן שִׁירַת הַיָּם, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל שִׁירַת הַיָּם וּבְקִיעַת הַיָּם בָּאָה רַק בְּכֹחַ מִידַּת הַחֶסֶד שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזֶהוּ הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת שֶׁל ׳תּוֹרַת חֶסֶד׳ אֶל הַשִּׁירָה.
  1. Zohar II 170b. ↩
  2. Bava Basra 9a. ↩
In shortBecause Bnei Yisrael gave kindness without calling one another to account, Heaven gave them undeserved kindness at the sea: hence “a Torah of kindness.”
6The same idea explains the Midrash Shocher Tov: “‘The sea saw and fled’: it saw the coffin of Yosef going down into the sea.”14 What does Yosef's coffin have to do with the splitting of the sea? The answer lies in what we find with Yosef HaTzaddik. As viceroy to the king, he could have paid his brothers back for the evil they had done him. Yet not only did he do them no harm; on the contrary, he gave them great abundance and every good thing. This is what the sea saw, and it fled: it saw this middah, this character trait of Yosef's, planted within Bnei Yisrael.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ גַּם מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (שוחר טוב תהילים קיד), ״הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנוֹס״, רָאָה אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף יוֹרֵד לַיָּם, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת בֵּין בְּקִיעַת הַיָּם לַאֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. אֶלָּא דִּבְיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק מָצִינוּ שֶׁאַף שֶׁהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָיָה יָכוֹל לְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְאָחִיו עֲבוּר הָרָעָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ עִמּוֹ, אָכֵן לֹא רַק שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה עִמָּהֶם כָּל רַע, אֶלָּא לְהֵיפֶךְ הִשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁפַע רַב וְכָל טוּב. וְדָבָר זֶה רָאָה הַיָּם וַיָּנוֹס, שֶׁרָאָה מִדָּתוֹ זוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף נְטוּעָה בְּקֶרֶב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
  1. Shocher Tov, Tehillim 114; Tehillim 114:3. ↩
In shortThe sea fled at Yosef's coffin because it saw his way, doing good to those who had wronged him, planted within Israel.
7This also explains a custom of Israel, and a custom of Israel is itself Torah: putting out food for the birds on Shabbos Shirah. The Magen Avraham, a classic commentary on the Shulchan Aruch, questioned the custom.15 Since feeding birds is not our responsibility, he argued, we should not trouble ourselves over them on Shabbos. But we may answer as follows. All of Israel's salvation came through kindness, and we know from the Tanya that the very nature of kindness is to do kindness even for someone to whom we owe nothing.16 So on Shabbos Shirah we must awaken this middah in ourselves and feed the birds, even though we are not required to, and as a result Heaven has mercy on us. Giving of this kind is called giving for a need [and so is permitted on Shabbos].17
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מִנְהַג יִשְׂרָאֵל תּוֹרָה לִיתֵּן מְזוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי צִיפּוֹרִים בְּשַׁבַּת שִׁירָה, וּבְמָגֵן אַבְרָהָם (סימן שכ״ד סק״ז) הִקְשָׁה, שֶׁמֵּאַחַר וְאֵין מְזוֹנוֹתֵיהֶן מוּטָּלִים עָלֵינוּ, אֵין לְהִטַּפֵּל עֲבוּרָם בְּשַׁבָּת. אַךְ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, כִּי מֵאַחַר וְכָל הַיְּשׁוּעָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה מִצַּד מִידַּת הַחֶסֶד, וְנוֹדַע (תניא אגרת הקודש פרק טו) דְּעִנְיַן מִידַּת הַחֶסֶד הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶסֶד גַּם לְמִי שֶׁאֵין מְחוּיָּיבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד, לָכֵן בְּשַׁבַּת שִׁירָה אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְעוֹרֵר עָלֵינוּ הַמִּידָּה הַזֹּאת, וְלִיתֵּן לְעוֹפוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לָזוּן אוֹתָם, וּמִמֵּילָא מְרַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְדָבָר זֶה קָרוּי נְתִינָה לְצוֹרֶךְ (עיין כיוצא בזה בישמח ישראל סוף אות ג).
  1. Magen Avraham, Orach Chaim 324:7. ↩
  2. Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh, ch. 15. ↩
  3. See something similar in Yismach Yisrael, end of §3. ↩
In shortFeeding the birds on Shabbos Shirah, though we owe them nothing, awakens the kindness that saved Israel and so draws Heaven's mercy.
8We can explain that this is why it is called Shabbos Shirah. Blessing has its source in Shabbos, and the Song came from the attribute of kindness. Kindness awakens abundance for us, and that abundance flows through Shabbos, as the holy Zohar says, “All six days are blessed from it.”18 When we act with kindness, mercy is awakened for us and we are granted an abundant livelihood, and in the merit of Shabbos we are sustained all through the weekdays.
וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר דְּלָכֵן נִקְרֵאת ׳שַׁבַּת שִׁירָה׳, לְפִי שֶׁמְּקוֹר הַבְּרָכָה בָּא עַל יְדֵי שַׁבָּת, וְהַשִּׁירָה בָּאָה מֵחֲמַת מִידַּת הַחֶסֶד, וְהִיא מְעוֹרֶרֶת עָלֵינוּ שֶׁפַע עַל יְדֵי הַשַּׁבָּת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ח״ב פח, א) שֶׁכָּל שִׁיתָּא יוֹמִין מִינֵּיהּ מִתְבָּרְכִין, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַנְהָגַת הַחֶסֶד מִתְעוֹרֵר עָלֵינוּ רַחֲמִים וְזוֹכִים לְשֶׁפַע פַּרְנָסָה, וּבִזְכוּת הַשַּׁבָּת אָנוּ נִיזּוֹנִים כָּל יְמֵי הַחוֹל.
  1. Zohar II 88a. ↩
In shortShabbos Shirah joins the Song, born of kindness, to Shabbos, source of the week's blessing, so our kindness draws mercy and livelihood.
9The holy sefarim, among them the Ben Ish Chai, say that the fifteenth of Shevat, the New Year for trees, is a fitting time to pray for good fruit. Well known, too, are the words of the Bnei Yissaschar: on this day one should pray to be granted a beautiful esrog for Sukkos.19 Accordingly, we may say that this is why tzaddikim had the custom of handing out fruit to the people on this day. The way to earn an abundance of good, and to draw it down, is by doing kindness and giving to others; through this, measure for measure, goodness and blessing flow down in abundance from Heaven.
וְהִנֵּה אִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (בן איש חי), דְּבַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בִּשְׁבָט שֶׁהוּא רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לָאִילָנוֹת, הוּא זְמַן רָאוּי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל פֵּירוֹת טוֹבוֹת. וְכֵן יָדוּעַ מַה דְּאִיתָא בִּבְנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר (שבט מאמר ב׳) שֶׁבְּיוֹם זֶה יֵשׁ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִזְכּוֹת לְאֶתְרוֹג מְהוּדָּר לְחַג הַסּוּכּוֹת. וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּלָכֵן נָהֲגוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים לְחַלֵּק בְּיוֹם זֶה פֵּירוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הַדֶּרֶךְ לִזְכּוֹת וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ שֶׁפַע טוֹב הוּא עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׂיַּית חֶסֶד וְהַהַשְׁפָּעָה לְזוּלַת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה מִתְעוֹרֵר שֶׁפַע טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם.
  1. Bnei Yissaschar, Shevat, Maamar 2. ↩
In shortTzaddikim hand out fruit on the fifteenth of Shevat, the day to pray for good fruit, because giving draws Heaven's abundance measure for measure.
10We find the same with Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment, of which the verse says, “and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared.”20 The reason is the same: we need to break the force of strict judgment, and the way to do so is by acting with kindness, so at that time we must add to our kindness and mercy. Likewise, the mitzvah of mishloach manos, sending portions to one another, was instituted for Purim because at that time “the enemies of Israel”21 had been condemned to destruction, and there were many accusers against Klal Yisrael. [The holy sefarim say that something like this happens every year, and so Haman's accusation must be cancelled each year.] How is it cancelled? By acting with kindness.
וְכֵן מָצִינוּ לְגַבֵּי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה ח, י) ״וְשִׁלְחוּ מָנוֹת לְאֵין נָכוֹן לוֹ״, וְהוּא גַּם כֵּן מִטַּעַם הַנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁמִּכֵּיוָן שֶׁצְּרִיכִים אָנוּ לְשַׁבֵּר כֹּחַ מִדַּת הַדִּין, הַדֶּרֶךְ לְכָךְ הוּא עַל יְדֵי הִתְנַהֲגוּת בְּמִדַּת הַחֶסֶד, וְלָכֵן צָרִיךְ לְהַרְבּוֹת אָז בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים. וְכֵן בְּפוּרִים תִּקְּנוּ מִצְוַת מִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאָז נִתְחַיְּיבוּ שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלָיָה (מגילה יב, א), וְהָיוּ הַרְבֵּה מַסְטִינִים עַל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל [וְאִיתָא בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים דְּמֵעֵין זֶה יֵשׁ בְּכָל שָׁנָה, דְּצָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל הַקִּטְרוּג שֶׁל הַמָּן], וְאֵיךְ מְבַטְּלִים זֹאת, עַל יְדֵי הַנְהָגַת מִידַּת הַחֶסֶד.
  1. Nechemiah 8:10. ↩
  2. Megillah 12a. “The enemies of Israel” is a phrase Chazal use in place of saying “Israel” itself. ↩
In shortOn Rosh Hashanah and Purim, times of judgment and accusation, we send portions to others, because kindness breaks the force of judgment.
11The yahrzeit of tzaddikim, their yoma dehilula or “day of celebration,” is also about this [drawing down of abundance through kindness], and especially the yahrzeit of my holy father. As is well known, he always sought the peace and welfare of his fellow Jews and worked to bring them abundant blessing and success. He lived in the spirit of the verse “Yosef was the provider for all the people of the land.”22 May it be His will that in his great merit we be granted “children, life and sustenance”23 and abundant mercy, until the coming of the righteous Redeemer. Amen.
וְזֶהוּ גַּם עִנְיָן שֶׁל יוֹמָא דְּהִילּוּלָא שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים, וּבְיִחוּד שֶׁל כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, אֲשֶׁר כַּיָּדוּעַ הָיָה תָּמִיד דּוֹרֵשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְטוֹבַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁפַע בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה, וְהָיָה מִתְנַהֵג בְּמִדַּת ״יוֹסֵף הוּא הַמַּשְׁבִּיר לְכָל עַם הָאָרֶץ״ (בראשית מב, ו). יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁבִּזְכוּתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה נִזְכֶּה לִבְנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי וְשֶׁפַע רַחֲמִים, עַד בִּיאַת גּוֹאֵל צֶדֶק, אָמֵן.
  1. Bereishis 42:6. ↩
  2. Moed Katan 28a. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that in the merit of his father, who like Yosef provided for all, we receive children, life, sustenance and abundant mercy.
Takeaway

Hashem treats us as we treat one another, like a shadow that follows every move. At the sea Israel stood under judgment, yet the sea split because Bnei Yisrael had bound themselves to show kindness even to those who did not deserve it. When judgment presses on us, lending, giving, feeding and sending portions, especially where we owe nothing, is how we draw Heaven's kindness down to us.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

All of Lehavas David

English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.