Shavuah Tov!! Wishing everyone a blessed week.
This week we read Parashah “Tetzaveh” (Command) in which it 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 you nonetheless make a light for Him just as He makes a light for you. Then the Midrash gives an analogy of a blind person and a person who could see who were walking together. The person with sight led the blind person the entire way. When they came to their destination, the sighted person told the blind person to “make a light.” “I want you to do this,” he said, “so you will not feel a debt of gratitude for all I have done for you.”
The Midrash teaches that we should be totally to help someone and not expect even gratitude in return.
Although the person who has been helped, has to feel gratitude towards his benefactor, the one who does the kindness should do it for the sake of doing kindness, in this way he will be spared any negative feelings if the other doesn’t reciprocate or say thank you. Moreover, a person who lives a little higher, will make the person receiving his kindness feel free of any obligations towards him.
Excerpts from “Growth Through Torah” Rabbi Zelig Pliskin
www.livealittlehigher.com
