Kindness

10 Kislev 5782

“I am unworthy of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant” (Bereishis 32:11)

“The meaning of this is that every kindness bestowed by G-d upon a person should cause him to be exceedingly humble. For a divine kindness is an expression of ‘His right hand embraces me’ - G-d is literally bringing the person closer to Himself. And the closer a person is to G‑d, the greater the humility this should evoke in him, for since ‘all before Him is as naught,’ the more ‘before Him’ a person is, the more ‘as naught’ does he perceive himself to be. This is the manner of Jacob. The very opposite is the case in the contrasting realm of kelipah (evil). There, the greater the kindness shown a person, the more he grows in arrogance and self-satisfaction.” (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi)

“This investment of supreme wisdom in the physical aspects of the laws is not similar to the investment of supreme wisdom in intellectually generated fear and love”

So too when we feel a love and fear of G-d, it should not cause us to become haughty thinking we have achieved closeness with Hashem. In truth, supreme wisdom is vested in all things and is the source of all things. This is especially so with regard to the love and awe which are aroused by intellectual activity, for the source of all such activity is also supreme wisdom. Our own efforts merely create a Kli, a vessel, for this supreme wisdom to be vested in. In no way is the resulting feeling of love and fear our achievement on which we could pride ourselves in.

“Evening, morning and noon, I lament and moan-and He hears my voice.” (Tehillim 55:18)

Prayer, “evening, morning and noon,” are the key times to reflect on our own nothingness and Hashem’s infinite greatness. All we do is truly nothing to Him because all we have is given by Him in the first place. Nevertheless our meager activities have the potential to light up tremendous fixtures and constellations in the higher worlds. This is His infinite kindness.