By the Grace of G-d Dear Friend, When I heard about it I was proud. Proud, that it is the individual human being that occupies center-stage in the hearts and mind of the Shluchim. Notwithstanding the thousands of people Chabad of Thailand hosts on an ongoing basis, And the fact that the ones who did this magnanimous act didn’t make a big deal about, actually, I almost didn’t even hear about it, made me even more pleased. Last Saturday night, at our traditional post Shabbat ‘Melaveh Malka’ gathering, we were schmoozing. Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm made reference to an elderly man they had helped that week. This was the first I had heard of it. I asked him for some more details. It started on a Wednesday night with a call from Arkia Airlines. The Tel Aviv bound airplane had already taxied from the gate on the way to takeoff. At the last minute the captain decided not to take chances with an elderly man on board who did not seem very stable. Turns out that this elderly Jew from Israel, had been living alone in Cambodia and slowly his mind became unclear. Rabbi Butman from Cambodia arranged to have him return to Israel. He even flew with him from Phnom Penh and accompanied him to the gate at the Bangkok airport. Rabbi Butman didn’t want to bother the staff at Chabad of Thailand as everything looked like it would be simple. He figured we are busy enough and thought all would be fine and dandy. Once the plane left the gate, Rabbi Butman figured that all was ok and caught a flight back to Cambodia. Till Rabbi Wilhelm got a phone call saying all was not ok. The airline, not knowing what to do with a frail confused man who didn’t seem to have any family contacts, called Chabad for help. Rabbi Wilhelm asked to speak to the elderly Jew by phone to try to understand the situation. When he asked him how he had arrived in Thailand, the elderly man responded ‘I am not in Thailand I am in Cambodia’. It was clear that this person was totally disoriented. Rabbi Wilhelm sprang into action. Simcha, one of the volunteer yeshiva bachurim, was dispatched to the airport and brought the elderly Jew to Chabad House. The Thai Tourist Police were looking after the confused man till Simcha would get there. The police very kindly helped out and gave them a ride from the airport to the Chabad House. A hotel room was organized. A volunteer from Chabad House was found to accompany him on the next day’s flight to Israel. All this is standard. We have done this many times. The man traveled to Israel the following night and was taken to an assisted living facility in Northern Israel. Nothing very unusual. We are blessed to be able to help people in a wide variety of ways. Repatriations are quite common. Till I heard some more details. Casually, as if it were part of his every day routine, Rabbi Wilhelm mentioned that that this elderly person was incontinent. They had provided him with adult diapers and personally cleaned him several times during his twenty-four stay in the hotel across the street from Chabad House. Hosting, helping, accompanying, this is what most nice people would do. Cleaning someone up when they are unable to tend to themselves, is quite a different story. Nurses, medical aides and live-ins for the elderly, for them it’s a part of their life. As almost anything in life, you get used to things. Even if they are not so pleasant. For the average person, cleaning someone in that situation is something quite out of the ordinary. I was deeply touched by the raw kindness and wanted to share. This is something special. Caring in this way for a total stranger takes kindness to a different level. Moreover, his advanced state of confusion means that he is not even capable of ever thanking his benefactors. This is an act of TRUE (as in no personal gain) charitable kindness. Straight from the heart. End of story. But not end of my article. For my point is not to simply laud my colleagues, or share my admiration for their good deed. I want to use this opportunity to stimulate more acts of kindness In our Torah reading this week of ‘Shekalim’ we will talk about the giving of the half shekel. The annual half shekel collection was incumbent upon every Jew equally. The rich man could give no more and the poor man no less. The half shekel was not a substantial amount by any means. But every Jew was required to give it annually to participate in the buying of the public Temple offerings. It reminded the wealthy that they needed others to participate with them. As high and mighty as they may be, they cannot do it on their own. And it empowered the poor with the knowledge that their half shekel was a critically required part of the communal collection. Obviously when it comes to giving money to the various other charity coffers, we can’t all give the same amounts. Let’s face it. Some people have more material possessions than others. G-d has entrusted them with additional resources so that they help those who are in need. Ironically, this week when we talk about the equality of the half shekel contribution, AP published an article naming Bangkok at 8th place in the world for the highest number of resident billionaires. Billionaires should voluntarily contribute to charity commensurate with their wealth. (I don’t think I have bumped into a billionaire yet in Bangkok. I guess they are not coming to shul…..:-)). But for the annual half shekel appeal there was a requirement for everyone to give equally. On the most basic level this mitzvah of giving a half shekel reminds us that we are all capable of giving. There is no one who does not have something to give. After hearing the above story from my colleague about the help they had given the old man, I realized that this was a perfect example of a ‘giving opportunity’ that did not cost money. It required something altogether different than money. It required REALLY caring about someone else, and focusing on ‘doing what needed to be done’. With no ‘if’s and but’s’ or other excuses. This kind of giving contains the kind of ‘raw kindness’ that in some ways is even more impactful than giving money. We all have the capability of accessing and activating the attribute of kindness that is within our souls. And there are no shortage of kindnesses waiting to be done. On the contrary. Opportunities for doing acts of charitable kindness abound. I am talking about the kind of charity that is affordable for every budget. The gift of the half shekel reminds that no one is ever too poor to give. A half shekel. A smile. A positively reinforcing compliment. Even cleaning up a mess for someone. Remember to smile and have a caring attitude when you do. Just say YES to giving! You will not just have done a mitzvah. You will also have done yourself a favor. Giving causes happiness. Actually, you will have done two mitzvahs. It’s a great mitzvah to be happy. Especially during the months of Adar in anticipation of the upcoming Purim! Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Yosef Kantor
ב"ה