Keys To I.S.R.A.E.L. - Celebrating God’s Holy LandSample

Extending Acts of Kindness

Days 31-40 focus on the letter “R” in I.S.R.A.E.L. — Righteous Giving — and explore the commandment God gave to His people as they entered the Promise Land to care for the poor and the oppressed.

---

Hillel the Elder was a great Jewish sage who lived in the Holy Land during the first century BCE. He once was challenged by a man who asked, “Teach me the entire Torah while I am standing on one foot!” Hillel took up the challenge and replied, “What is hateful to you, do not do to others. The rest is commentary – go study it!” 

Hillel’s reply was a flip-flopped version of the biblical command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). In other words, Hillel was teaching that loving others is, in essence, the entire teaching of the Bible. 

With that as our framework, we can better understand the context of Isaiah 58, where God — through His prophet Isaiah — chastised the people for their meaningless fast days. Outwardly, they were serving God. However, God, who sees into everyone’s heart, knew that their worship was only superficial and He wanted none of it. What God truly desired for His people — both then and now — is to stop injustice, free the oppressed, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and provide shelter for the poor. 

Kindness toward others is what God loves best.

In Psalm 118:19 we read, “Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.” Referencing this verse, the sages teach that when a person passes away, every person will stand in judgment. We will each be asked, “What was your occupation?” If one answers, “I fed the hungry,” they will answer, “This is God’s gate. You, who fed the hungry, may enter.” If one answers, “I gave drink to the thirsty,” they will reply, “This is God’s gate. You, who gave drink to the thirsty, may enter.” And so on. All who performed acts of charity and kindness will gain entrance to God’s gate. 

Helping others through acts of kindness has always been of utmost importance in Judaism; indeed, as the sages’ teaching above indicates, in the Jewish tradition, it is the entry ticket into God’s Kingdom. Isaiah said, “Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” How can we honor God? By serving and helping others. As one 18th century rabbi once put it, “The physical needs of another are my own spiritual obligation.”

God counts on us to provide for the needy and to use what He has given us for the less fortunate. In that way, we show our regard for God as Creator of all people, share His goodness with others, and draw others to Him. In addition, we contribute to the overall mission of all humanity, which in the Jewish faith is known as tikkun olam, or “fixing the world,” by making it a place of goodness and godliness.