Chaya Sara-2015

· Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch says that Avraham wanted to find “a modest, morally pure woman as a wife for his son, a woman who would bring with her a nobility of spirit and the purity of morality, as a pearl for his son.”

· Rashi says that Eliezer was looking for someone who “will perform Gamilas Chasadim, and is worthy to enter the house of Avraham.”

· Sterling qualities were crucial, because they were going into the DNA of the Jewish People, for all time.

· When Eliezer came to the well, Rivka dropped everything and gave Eliezer and his camels all the water they needed, displaying tremendous Gamilus Chasadim.

· Chesed, giving, kindness, Rachmanus – these have been the hallmarks of the Jewish people.

· These are essential qualities for us to have.

· The beginning of Pirkei Avos says, The world stands on 3 things – Torah, Avodah, and Gemilas Chasadim.

· We know that some of Hashems 13 qualities include Chesed and Rachamim, and we are commanded to emulate Hashem.

· Yevomos 78b (and Shmuel II 21:1) says that Dovid Hamelech made a Gezera that the Givonim could never become Jews because they did not have Rachamim.

· But the qualities of Chesed and Rachamim – kindness and compassion – come with a price.

· Sanhendrin 100b discusses Proverbs 16:15 – “All the days of the afflicted are evil; But he that is of a cheerful heart has a continual feast”.

· Reb. Yochanon says:

· “All the days of the afflicted are evil” – this refers to those who have Rachamim, because seeing the suffering causes pain to our heart, and impels us to take time and resources to help those who suffer.

· Second half of Proverbs 16:15: “But he that is of a cheerful heart has a continuous feast” – this refers to one who is an achzor, cruel – because nothing fazes him, and he can do whatever he wants, unconstrained by compassion and caring.

· But there is a larger concern and question: with the qualities of Chesed, giving, kindness, Rachmanus

· How have these qualities enabled us to survive in the violent, vicious world that we live in, where might makes right?

· Genghis Khan said: “The greatest joy a man can know is to defeat his enemies, to drive them before him, to take away their possessions.”

· Tanach: Nebekednezzer tried to strengthen his achzor quality by eating a live rabbit.

· Some say that the golden rule is: He who has the gold, makes the rules.

· The person who started Nazism, emach shemo (let his name be erased), said:

“It’s not truth that matters, but victory.”

“We want to be barbarians, it’s a time honored title for us”.

"I want to raise a generation of young people devoid of conscience - imperious, relentless, and cruel."

“Those who want to live, let them fight, and those who do not want to fight in this world of eternal struggle do not deserve to live.”

“Humanitarianism is the expression of stupidity and cowardice.”

“I am freeing man from the restraints of the … false vision called conscience and morality.”

· In the Dictionary of Wars (2006), George Childs Kohn says that in the last 3700 years, there have been over 3000 wars, and only 268 years have been without war.

· The UN Center for International Crime says that there are 300,000 people in the world every year convicted in the criminal courts for committing murder.

· Joseph Stalin was responsible for the deaths of 42 million people.

· The Jews are like people trying to be nice and kind to everyone in a bad neighborhood, in a violent slum where drug lords are always killing people in gangland rumbles.

· The Jews have always been compared to a dove surrounded by wolves.

· Given the fact that Gamilus Chasadim is in our genes, how have we survived in this cruel and violent world?

· The answer is: Without Hashem’s protection, it is not possible.

· Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in Hashem.”

· The Hagaddah says, “In every generation they rise up to destroy us, and Hashem saves us.”

· Hashem says: Im Bechuchosia Taylaychu: If you follow in My path, “Five of you will pursue one hundred, and one hundred of you will pursue ten thousand.”

· However Al Pi Derech Hatevah, without Hashem’s protection, it is Ee Efshar, impossible.

· Hashem gave us a valuable and holy land, waterfront property at the intersection of 3 continents.

· If Chas Ve Shalom we don’t follow the wishes of Hashem, He doesn’t have to punish us – all he has to do is partially withdraw his protection.

· That would be mida keneged mida.

· It is BECAUSE we show Chesed and Rachamim that Hashem shows Chesed and Rachamim to us.

· The end of Messchet Sotah says that during the Ikvas DeMashiach, we’ll say, who can we rely on, only Avinu She Beshamayim.

· Just like Sarah giving birth to Yitzchak at 90, we have to remember, our existence is supernatural, and we are totally dependent on Hashem’s protection and good will.