In this week’s Parashah “Tetzaveh” (you will command) there is a verse that says: “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light to cause the lamp to burn always” (Shemot 27:20)
The Midrash comments on this verse that H”S doesn’t really need the light, but nevertheless we should always make a light for Him just as He makes a light for us. Light here refers to acts of love and kindness towards others.
The Midrash gives an analogy of a blind person and a person who could see who were walking together. The person who could see led the blind person the whole way. When they came to their destination, the sighted person told the blind person to make a light. “I want you to do this so you won’t feel a debt of gratitude for what I did for you. Now you have done something for me in return.” This is total kindness, when we do for others not only not expecting anything in return, but we empower the recipient to pay it forward by doing another act of kindness to us or someone else so they won’t feel they owe. One who does kindness for others for the sake of kindness will be free of any negative feelings towards someone who does not reciprocate or express gratitude. In a higher level, the giver will go out of his way to make the receiver feel free of any obligation towards him.
On a higher note, this is why H”S gave us the Mitzvahs. This is so we don’t feel “Bread of Shame.” When we do a Mitzvah we are paying back to H”S all the good He does for us, by lighting a flame, in this way we produce merits in this world to feel worthy of His many blessings towards us. In this way H”S acts in complete kindness towards us so we feel deserving of His abounding goodness.
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