Taking a Stand for True Compassion
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
Throughout this week’s parsha of Vayeira we live each day with Avraham Avinu. We learned about Avraham Avinu’s care and compassion for others when he prayed to save Sedom. At the very beginning of our parsha we see that he was tired and weak after getting a circumcision nevertheless he reached out to others providing by the needs of wayfarers. Not only was this a great physical sacrifice but he was even willing to forgo an encounter with the Shechina, the greatest possible spiritual sacrifice to attend to his guests. From this story we learn that hachnasas orchim is even greater then kabolas pnei Shechina, from receiving Hashem’s divine countenance.
The behavior of Avraham Avinu and the lesson he provides us has defined Jewish kindness and compassion throughout the centuries. According to the Torah there is an essential difference between compassion based on belief in Hashem and regular human compassion. The difference is profound in both quantity and quality and it can even produce opposite results.
Where did Avraham Avinu’s motivation come from? During his entreaty on behalf of the people of Sedom he said: “Here I venture to speak to my G-d, I who am but dust and ashes”. Rashi comments: “I would long ago have been reduced to dust by the kings and to ashes by Nimrod had it not been that Thy mercies stood by me”. It was because of Avraham Avinu’s great humility that he was able to see goodness and potential in others. His ultimate goal, which was both hard won time tested and true through his many challenges, was to receive the glory of Hashem. His deepest desire and commitment was to actualize the will of Hashem, not in any way for his personal gain, the Creator which he came to know through his searching, reflection, and service. This too is the responsibility of every Jew who follows in his ways. We strive that what we do be according to Hashem's will, not our personal desires. When we live fulfilling Hashem's will we have the nachas of knowing it was done properly. When we have that motivation all of the care and compassion that we do has the ring of truth and turns out well.
Today we live in a G-dless society. A new form of compassion has become the norm. Especially in democratic societies, as well intentioned as it might be, there are certain actions that are stated as caring and compassionate but end in terrible harm. The core reason is because it’s missing what motivated Avraham Avinu. Instead of every act of compassion bonding us together to Hashem and His will, all too often acts of compassion are in truth assertions of personal desires comforts and feelings. In today’s world it’s what’s right for me, not necessarily what’s right in general. Take for example the issue of abortion. Once there is a viable fetus there is a life inhabiting the womb of the mother. She has a choice. On one hand she could say that until now she didn’t want to have a child but that now there is a life, something outside of her, within her. Her morals ethics and beliefs tell her that that life is good and has rights that she must respect notwithstanding it being unexpected, inconvenient and life changing. On the other hand, in today’s world she has another option which society approves and encourages! She can say that she doesn’t care. It’s my body and it’s my life and I prefer to abort (kill the child). Without an awareness of a loving and compassionate Creator, when life is about what’s best for me, she may, as millions have choose abortion. She may even choose partial birth abortion! That means that the child is alive full term and about to be born but only 6 inches of the head remains inside. At that point they the murder the child. In our society that we live today people think that’s okay. They even feel compassionate. There are rare cases where it is necessary to save the mother's life. For the vast majority that is not the reason. Its a civil rights issue; to protect the rights of the woman over the life of the child. How can you kill another life, it’s cruel and it’s murder? No answer, it’s about the woman’s rights. Recently video clips were published of representatives of abortion clinics drinking coffee and laughing as they sold the body parts of the aborted fetuses. At the same time these same people will fight tooth and nail against waterboarding terrorists and fight for the rights of wild animals! Something is seriously amiss. It starts with the example of Avraham Avinu and his ways of kindness and compassion. Through his example he showed us how to bring out the positive and how to love others, even those we don’t know and those that we disagree with. He taught us how to protect Hashem’s world.
When we look around we see how we have been lectured for the last 20 years and beyond about compassion and tolerance. There are many in the media and in the culture who point to the religious and define them as intolerant and lacking compassion for others. When we look into the streets and listen to the messages of the demonstrators we see a lack of compassion and great intolerance. When we look at the policies they put forth we see a lack of compassion toward the unborn child and to those in need of protections against terrorism and safety on our streets.
Because we are blessed to follow in the ways of Avraham Avinu and all our forefathers prophets teachers and Rabbeim, no matter what the odds are we have the opportunity to show that difference. Its our obligation to teach everyone the way of Hashem. Ultimately the truth will come to light we will merit see return of the Shechina to Tzion where we will all serve Hashem together as one community with the coming of Moshiach Now
A Good Shabbos