We live surrounded by extraordinary kindness, yet much of it passes unnoticed. We expect the sun to rise, rain to nourish the earth, and food to grow. Because these things are so familiar, we rarely consider how generously Hashem has provided for us.
Recognizing Hashem’s Kindness in Creation
Consider an apple. It provides nourishment, but Hashem has also given it sweetness, fragrance, beautiful color, and a protective skin. Each quality adds something to the gift.
And the apple is only one example. Fruits come in countless varieties, each with its own flavors and textures. Rain, sunlight, fertile soil, and seeds work together to sustain an astonishing variety of living creatures.
Tehillim (Psalms 89:3) teaches that the world was built on kindness. Later, Tehillim describes all living creatures looking to Hashem for food and receiving it at the proper time (145:15–16).
Every creature has different needs, yet Hashem has provided the means to sustain them. The more carefully we observe creation, the more we recognize His generosity.
But recognizing Hashem’s kindness is not enough. The Torah also commands us to follow His ways.
Following Hashem’s Ways Through Kindness
What does it mean to follow the ways of the Creator?
Four remarkable events in the Torah give us practical examples.
When Adam and Chava needed clothing, Hashem made garments and dressed them. When Avraham was recovering from his circumcision, Hashem visited him.
After Avraham died, Hashem comforted Yitzchak. When Moshe Rabbeinu died, Hashem Himself buried him.
The Jewish sages teach that we must follow these examples. Just as Hashem clothes those in need, visits the sick, comforts mourners, and buries the dead, we must do likewise.
Each action answers a particular need. Someone needs clothing. Another needs a visit during illness. Someone who has lost a loved one needs comfort.
Kindness is not always about giving money. It is about recognizing what another person needs and responding appropriately.
The Torah’s command to follow Hashem’s ways turns our appreciation of His kindness into a responsibility toward other people.
Meeting Another Person’s Needs with Dignity
Imagine two families receiving identical packages of clothing. One family urgently needs clothes for its children. The other already has enough clothing but lacks essential household items.
The gifts may be identical, but the families’ needs are not.
The Torah commands us to provide a person in need with what that person lacks. This requires attention to individual circumstances, rather than assuming everyone needs the same assistance.
A remarkable account about Hillel illustrates this principle.
A man who had once been wealthy became poor. He had been accustomed to having a servant run before him. When Hillel could not find someone to perform this service, he ran before the man himself.
This was not something every person needed. It reflected the circumstances to which that particular man had been accustomed.
The Torah considers a person’s individual needs, including previous living standards where applicable. This does not mean everyone must be made wealthy or that an individual donor must personally provide everything requested. Jewish law establishes the obligations and limits according to the circumstances and available means.
Yet meeting material needs is only part of giving tzedaka.
A person receiving assistance also deserves kindness in the way that help is offered. Money may address an immediate shortage, while encouraging words can provide comfort.
The Jewish sages teach that someone who gives a coin to a poor person receives six blessings, while someone who comforts that person with words receives eleven blessings.
That distinction is remarkable. The words themselves have great value.
We are required to give tzedaka pleasantly, with sympathy and words of comfort. A large gift does not excuse a harsh expression or humiliating treatment. And even when someone cannot provide financial assistance, comforting words remain possible.
The kindness we recognize throughout creation teaches us more than gratitude. Hashem provides for His creatures, and we are commanded to follow His ways by caring for the needs of others.
Sometimes those needs are material. Sometimes they involve illness, grief, or the need for encouragement. In every case, how we treat the person matters alongside the help we provide.