730 Acts Of Kindness

The story is told about a young Torah scholar who long ago lived in poverty. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, he held a brit milah, circumcision ceremony, for his newborn son. The man's wealthy uncle, known for his many properties and extensive businesses, attended the celebration and was honored to deliver a speech. Since the brit milah took place on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the prosperous man chose to focus on the Talmudic saying of tichleh shanah vekilelotehah, let the year and its curses end (Megillah 31b). In his remarks, the uncle encouraged the participants to pray that all the troubles that had befallen the Jewish people over the past year should come to an abrupt end.

After his uncle concluded, the young Torah scion, the father of the infant, rose and declared, “With all due respect to my dear uncle, I do not understand his words. Why should we focus on ‘Let the year and its curses end?' What curses were placed upon us during the past year? This past year was full of goodness and overflowing with the kindness of the Blessed Creator. Instead of focusing on curses, we should focus on the blessings that Hashem bestowed upon us. Let us be grateful to Hashem for all the good He has done and continues to do for us. Let us thank the Creator for the birth of the baby and for all the other acts of kindness He has provided over the past year.”

After the brit milah, the uncle approached his nephew, the Torah scholar, and said in amazement, “How did you reach such a high level of hakarat hatov, gratitude to Hashem? How is it possible that I, a wealthy man with many properties, focus on troubles and curses, while you, a young Torah giant living in near poverty, focus on the kindness and goodness of the Blessed Creator?”

The young scholar’s response was enlightening and uplifting. "I will explain. Last year, before Rosh Hashanah, my wife and I made an extraordinary commitment. We decided to buy a blank book and write in it every day two acts of kindness that Hashem had done for us during the past 24 hours. For an entire year, we kept this commitment and wrote down two events of kindness or divine providence that we experienced each day. Before the brit milah, I reviewed the book we had written and found seven hundred and thirty acts of kindness that Hashem had done for us over the past year. Tell me, dear uncle, how can one see so many acts of kindness and not be filled with gratitude towards Hashem? How can one focus on troubles and curses when one sees with their own eyes how Hashem showers us with goodness and blessings without limit?"

The lesson learned from the bikkurim, first fruits, in this week's parshah is that serving Hashem is built on gratitude and constant attention to the kindness of the Creator. Only when one contemplates the abundance of goodness and blessings that Hashem bestows upon us daily does the heart awaken and ignite with immense love for the Blessed Creator. (Rav Yaakov Shayish shlit”a; Na’eh Doresh)

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Rabbi Leeor Dahan, a graduate of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/RSA, is well versed in aspects of halachah and has written commentary on the Mishnah Berurah, and Shulchan Aruch. The rav encourages his congregants at Kehilat Avodat Hashem in Hillcrest, Queens to find time in their day for the study of Torah and associated halachic customs.