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Kind Attitude Towards Neighbor
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Shimon Hatzadik - from the last men of Great Gathering - said this world stands onto three fulcrums. They are:
- Tora (that is Seven Laws observation by the peoples of the world and studying all Scripture's sections referred to them);
- Avoda (service - Biblical language translation; since the Temple is broken, the service is replaced by prayer - service of heart);
- Gmilut Chasadim (kind attitude towards neighbor - Biblical language translation).
Kind attitude towards neighbor includes the entire range of definite behavioural criterions like hospitality, mutual aid, benevolence, good-neighborhood etc. In other words, it is when one person does good to the other one, as it's written (Tehillim 89:3): "For I said: forever will the world be built with kindness."
And Sages said that kind acts are even more important than charity. Coz man donates his money and property but man does kind acts both with money and property, and with his entire entity. For example, consoling those in mourning, visiting ill people, displaying hospitality. The donations are done to the poors and the kind acts don't know the difference between the poors and the rich people. The donations are meant for the living and the kind acts - both for the living and those who are not with us anymore. Midrash adduces the story.
Once Abraham asked Shem - Noah's son - about the following:
- Tell me please, why G-d saved you while in the Ark?
- We survived due to charity, - answered Shem.
- What does it mean? There were no beggars in the Ark.
- I mean our charity regarding animals, - explained Shem. - We didn't close our eyes all nights long, feeding them and taking care of them.
- If so, - judged Abraham, - then how great the reward for observing a commandment to help people is!
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