I wonder who this was?
Yesterday, someone I don’t know made a donation to Chabad of Westport with the following note attached.
“In honor of the congregant who bought me a kosher brisket sandwich at the historic Knicks game”.
It intrigued me so I reached out to this individual and asked him for some particulars. To which he responded.
“As a member of the Chabad of East Hampton and East Boca I was happy to reciprocate the generosity of one of your congregants who bought my dinner at the kosher stand at Madison Square Garden. (I advised him to order the brisket over the pastrami). I told him I would repay his kindness with a donation to his shul. Not more than that. Kindness begets kindness. Keep up the excellent work”.
Not more than that. Kindness begets kindness.
What a powerful truism! The chain reaction of a good deed — that inspires and results in more good deeds being done.
Not connected or perhaps connected — I received a text this week from a neighboring Chabad Rabbi who was seeking funds to pay for the burial of a “Mr David G..” OBM.
David had passed away without anyone to arrange and pay for his burial —he died penniless. The hospital didn’t know what to do with the body; fortunately they reached out to this Rabbi who immediately committed to giving Mr G a kosher Jewish burial. He was now out of pocket serious funds the he didn’t have and needed help covering the expense.
Knowing our generous community and the level of Mitzvah associated with the burial of another, I committed to send over a significant portion of the expenses to ensure a dignified and kosher Jewish burial. The reaction of kindness getting pushed further down the chain.
I immediately sent an email to a small group and the balance was raised immediately. No more than that. Kindness begets kindness. The chain reaction fully engaged!
Our tradition teaches that not only does a good deed trigger kindness in this world but it actually inspires kindness from On-High — triggering a downward flow of compassion upon the one engaged in kindness. A win win all around.
I don’t know who bought the sandwich at MSG and I don’t know Mr G but that’s hardly the point for the effects of our deeds are way more powerful than we could ever quantify.
May the soul of Mr G have an Aliya ( ascend from level to level) and May those who stepped forward get repaid from The One Above. To the anonymous sandwich buyer — drop me a line, I’d love to buy you a Pastrami sandwich!