EXOD282 See [[EXOD15]] Exodus 1:17 feared AHAVCH 25

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EXOD296 [In this verse] the "way" is taken by Chazal to indicate gemiluth chesed. The Ten Commandments announce (Exodus 20:6) that God shows chesed to thousands of generations, and it is necessary for us to follow the example of His virtues. The Sidrah of Mishpatim (Ibid. 22:24) mentions the duty of "lending money to My people" and regulations governing the restoration of a pledge (v. 11) which also stem from the virtue of benevolence, as explained in Deuteronomy (24:13). Many topics are discussed in the Sidrah of Behar (Lev. Chap. 25), all of them aspects of chesed, such as: redeeming relatives from slavery and "your brother shall live with you." I thereupon concluded that there is no end, indeed, to the chesed mentioned in the Torah. So many positive and negative commandments emanate from His virtue of chesed, may He be blessed.

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EXOD298 One further violates the specific Scriptural commandment to perform acts of chesed [this verse]: "And you shall show them the way wherein they must walk," where "the way" is taken by Chazal (Bava Kamma 99b; Bava Metzia 30b) to indicate chesed. The inference is derived from the definite article, the, which has no specific reference and must therefore signify the well-trodden path along which our forefather, Abraham, walked, and whose entire life was bound up with the virtue of chesed, as everyone knows. This admonition includes all the types of kindness arising in personal relationships, also the gimiluth chesed extended with one's person: visiting the sick, burying the dead, etc., as explained in the Gemarah (Ibid.). Nor is the gemiluth chesed performed with one's possessions, by any means, excluded from this rule.

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EXOD299 See [[EXOD133]] Exodus 10:12 arm AHAVCH 96

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EXOD375 It is well known that the measure of God's beneficence exceeds the measure of His punishment. Punishments last to the third and fourth generation; while of beneficence it is written [this verse]: "And doing kindness to the thousandth generation" as Chazal has explained (Tosefta Sotah Chap. 4). How much greater, then, is the effect if, in a specific instance, one does his neighbor a favor and through it accrues benefit to the neighbor's household and to others as well. Whatever good results from his act will be added to his credit when he is to receive his reward. Once man reflects on this, he will strive to help his neighbor in every way possible.

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EXOD376 See [[EXOD296]] Exodus 18:20 way AHAVCH 26

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EXOD501 The Yalkut (Re'eh), which we have quoted previously, declares: "Beware lest you withhold compassion, for anyone who withholds compassion identifies himself with idolatry casts off the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, as it is said 'Beli-ya'al'" (i.e. without, bli; a yoke, 'ol). The passage conveys that the parsimonious person relies on his money only, not on Hashem and His Torah. Against this, a warning is intimated in [this verse].

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EXOD631 See [[EXOD296]] Exodus 18:20 way AHAVCH 26

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EXOD690 It is a positive commandment of the Torah to lend to the poor among our brothers, as it is said [this verse]. The Mechilta observes that all "if"s in the Torah express an option, except three, which introduce an obligation, and this is one of the three. The proof lies in the statement [Deuteronomy 15:8] "You shall surely lend to him," which is expressed as an imperative. This mitzvah is superior to charity, since here the poor is not put to shame by accepting gifts, and since here also his hand is strengthened; he is supported and protected from financial ruin. By such an act, the lender fulfills the mitzvah of the Torah (Leviticus 25:35): "And if your brother be waxen poor and his hand fail with you, you shall uphold him," so that he should not be ruined and become dependent on charity. This commandment is also fulfilled by giving loans to the rich for a certain period, when they are pressed for money, since chesed may be done both to rich and poor. The only difference is that the poor take priority, and for that reason scripture has made explicit mention of the poor and its reference to the mitzvah. If Scripture had not made us aware of our obligation, we would prefer to lend to the rich only, since one is likely to receive many favors in return, and, moreover, the rich person is a more reliable risk.

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EXOD702 (Continued from [[DEUT1547]] Deuteronomy 28:47 serve AHAVCH 104). Suppose a certain person did not want to serve God joyfully. He did not extend the kindness to his fellow Jew that befitted his means and through which he would have fulfilled the positive Torah commandment [this verse]: "When you lend money…" Had he behaved properly his money would have eventually come back to him. Now he will, inevitably, lose many times that sum to strangers and he will be powerless to recover it from them. Even if a person does give some charity and performs some chesed with his money, but not in accordance with his means, then his money may become forfeited as a result. A curse will become attached to it. If others engage in a business venture with him, their capital will be lost because of him. (See Kethuvoth 66b/67a concerning the dwindling of Nakdimon ben Gurion's daughter's wealth).

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