Years ago a member of my synagogue who worked as a pediatric nurse told me about a young mother who brought her infant in for the baby’s first immunizations. As the doctor picked up the syringe, the mother began sobbing, grabbed her baby, and fled the room saying, “It’s going to be too painful.” While some parents are rightfully wary of immunizations because of potential side effects, this mother was not making a reasoned and thoughtful decision. She was reacting emotionally and, in her view, with compassion. My guess is that she thought of herself as an extremely kind person, perhaps one who avoided stepping on ants and never passed a beggar without dropping a coin in his lap. Yet, as any parent who is aware of the crippling effect of some dangerous childhood diseases could tell you, she may actually have been acting with great cruelty. She was putting her own emotions ahead of her child’s real needs. (Buried Treasure, pp 93-94)
What would you want to say to this mother?
Rabbi Daniel says of kindness:
The Hebrew word for an act of profound kindness is CHeSeD. Interestingly, God Himself commits both the first and last acts of CHeSeD chronicled in [Torah]. He tailors suits of clothing for Adam and Eve after their fig leaves proved inadequate. Helping people clothe themselves in a dignified fashion is considered to be a greater act of kindness, CHeSeD, than giving them food. This is because the latter alleviates only a physical discomfort while clothing protects human dignity.
Doing someone a kindness while expecting no repayment is also seen as a special act of CHeSeD. At the close of the book of Deuteronomy, God buries Moses. Burying someone is an act of kindness that the recipient will never be able to repay. (p 94)
What acts of kindness have others done for you? What have you done for others? While showing kindness while expecting no repayment is part of CHeSeD, how do some peoples’ motivation impair acts of CHeSeD?
Consider Psalm 23. Where is CHeSeD in this psalm?
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Did you pick “love” in verse 6? Other translations translate CHeSeD there as mercy (KJV), or loving kindness (NASB).
Closing Thought: The CH in CHeSeD is a hard ‘G’ sound—similar to the ‘gh’ in ghetto. Also, the S in the middle of CHeSeD is written in Hebrew as ס, and in Hebrew words that come into English, the S frequently changes into an O. For example, the Hebrew word for a prophetic sign, SiMeN, come into English as OMeN.
So, take CHeSeD, change the CH to G, change the S to O, drop the vowels, and what do you have? GOD. God is the heart of loving-kindness.
