THE WRONG KINDNESS IS CRUEL

Nisan 28, 5785 / April 25-26, 2025

Parashat Shemini

Torah: Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47

Haftarah: 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 (Ashkenazim); 2 Samuel 6:1-19 (Sephardim)

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for the hostages.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
On April 28, we'll be at BT Yevamot, page 35 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 3 - 

 'א"ר שמואל בר נחמני א"ר יונתן' - "R. Samuel b. Nachmeni , in the name of R. Jonathan, said: ..."

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:

https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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THE WRONG KINDNESS IS CRUEL

“… They shall not be eaten…. the stork …” Leviticus 11:13, 19

The Torah refers to non-kosher birds as an abomination. Interestingly, Rabbi Yehudah taught that the stork is called chasidah (the kind one) because it acts with chasidut (kindness) toward its fellows. On the other hand, Rambam (Maimonides) taught that every non-kosher bird is naturally cruel. So, why is the stork considered not kosher?

Chidushei Ha-Rim ("Insights of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir", the first Gerer rebbe) says it is because the stork helps only “its fellows”, other storks, and no others. He continues, “One must help all others, for a person who helps only his own is not kind, but cruel.”

White Storks

The Gerer’s teaching is a logical extension of the more familiar teaching of Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” (Avot 1:14)

Indeed, the quality or the timing of our kindness should not depend upon our attitude toward or our relationship with the one who requires kindness. As we will read in a few weeks: “You shall love your fellow human being, (who is, after all) like yourself.” (Lev. 19:18); “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who resides with you shall be as one of your citizens, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your God.” (Lev. 19:33-34)

Kindness only to some is cruelty to others.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1 

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