by Rabbi Russ Resnik

 

One of the pillars of traditional Judaism is Gemilut Chasadim--deeds of loving kindness. Indeed, the sages say that the practice of loving kindness is one of the pillars of the world itself:

Shimon ha-Tsaddik was one of the last of the men of the Great Assembly.  He used to say, "The world stands upon three things: upon the Torah, upon the divine service, and upon the practice of loving kindness" (Avot 1:2).

Deeds of loving kindness between human beings are not mandated in specific legislation, but are illustrated throughout Torah and the rest of Scripture. In a bold interpretive move, the sages of the Talmud see the Lord himself demonstrating such deeds in his early interactions with humankind, as examples for us to follow.

R. Hama said in the name of R. Hanina: What does it mean, "You shall walk after the Lord your God"? (Deut. 13:5). Is it possible for a person to walk and follow in God's presence? Does not the Torah also say, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire"? (Deut. 4:24). But it means to walk after the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Just as He clothed the naked, so you too clothe the naked, as it says "And the Lord made the man and his wife leather coverings and clothed them" (Gen.  3:21). The Holy One, Blessed be He, visits the ill, as it says, "And God visited him in Elonei Mamreh (Gen. 18:1); so you shall visit the ill.  The Holy One, Blessed be He, comforts the bereaved, as it says, "And it was after Abraham died that God blessed his son Isaac..." (Gen. 25:11), so too shall you comfort the bereaved. The Holy One, Blessed be He, buries the dead, as it says, "And He buried him in the valley (Deut.  34:6), so you too bury the dead (b. Sotah 14a).

Not long after the Flood, the sons of Noah have the opportunity to emulate the loving kindness of Hashem. After leaving the ark, Noah plants a vineyard, drinks of its wine, gets drunk, and lies down uncovered in his tent.

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him. And he said: Cursed be Canaan...
(Genesis 9:20-25a, JPS).

The nature of Ham's offense is unclear, but its effect is devastating.  As in the creation, the dry land has just emerged from the waters. The earth has come through judgment and renewal to receive God's blessing, but now the curse-which first appeared in the Garden of Eden-becomes lodged in it again. Ham's offense brings disruption to the divine order of the newly restored creation.

Shem and Japheth, however, restore a note of hope, as they take pains to cover their father's nakedness. In the creation story, as cited in the Talmudic passage above, the Lord covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve in the Garden after their transgression. They had to go into exile, but their human dignity was affirmed and protected.

In the flood story, Noah's two sons follow God's example. In contrast with Ham, they refuse to even look upon Noah's nakedness. Instead, they cover it, hoping to restore his dignity and maintain the wholeness of the family. The Torah had not yet given any instruction or legislation regarding what they did, but somehow they knew what was required. As the world is being restored after the flood, the sons of Noah put into practice one of the acts that the sages consider to be a pillar of this world. Without such acts-not specifically spelled out in statutes and ordinances, but written on the heart and modeled by Hashem himself-the world could not continue.

This understanding of Gemilut Chasadim yields two vital points.

First, deeds of loving kindness like visiting the sick and clothing the naked are the heart of Torah, established even before the more formalized laws and rituals given at Sinai. We often discuss and even argue about specific laws and how they may apply today, but the broad example of gemilut chasadim applies to all of us, in the practicalities of everyday life.

Second, Torah reveals a God who is not remote and inaccessible, but who is intimately interacting with human beings like us. We should not be surprised, then, that this revelation reaches its climax as God comes fully onto the human scene in the person of Yeshua the Messiah. Nor should we be surprised that Messiah is constantly among the sick and needy, embodying deeds of loving kindness in his own ministry.

The Mishnah says that gemilut chasadim is one of the precepts that have no prescribed measure (Pe'ah 1:1). Anyone who goes through a day with sensitivity and a desire to follow Messiah will find multiple opportunities to practice them. And the Mishnah adds that gemilut chasadim are one of "the things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the stock remains intact for him for the world to come."

Shabbat Shalom!

Russ Resnik