These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly portion: #1352 – Is It a Mitzva for a Man to Get Married? Good Shabbos!

The pasuk in Parshas Bereshis says: “And Hashem G-d made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and he clothed them.” (Bereshis 3:21). After the aveira (sin) of Adam and Chava, when they realized they were naked, the Ribono shel Olam made garments for them. The Gemara (Sotah 14a) interprets the mitzva of “Acharei Hashem Elokecha taylaychu” (You shall walk after the Hashem your G-d) (Devorim 13:5) as an imperative to emulate the attributes of the Ribono shel Olam: Just as the Ribono shel Olam clothes the naked, so too should you; just as the Ribono shel Olam visits the sick (as when He appeared to Avram in Elonei Mamrei after Avram’s bris milah), so too should you; just as the Ribono shel Olam comforts the bereaved (Bereshis 25:11), so too should you; just as the Ribono shel Olam buried the dead (Devorim 34:6), so too, should you.

The Gemara then quotes a comment of Rav Simlai: The beginning of the Torah consists of gemilas chassadim (acts of kindness) and the end of Torah consists of gemilas chassadim. The Torah begins with the Ribono shel Olam‘s dressing the naked, and it ends with the Ribono shel Olam‘s burying the dead. The problem with this teaching of Rav Simlai is – what is he adding? We already see from the previous examples that the Torah begins with gemilas chessadim and ends with gemilas chassadim!

The sefer Mishmeres Elazar (by Rav Elazar Brach) suggests the following: Rav Simlai is not merely teaching that we need to emulate the Ribono shel Olam in what He does. We also need to emulate Him in how He does it. There is an inconsistency specifically in the two pesukim that Rav Simlai is referencing. When Hashem clothed Adam and Chava, the pasuk spells out who did it: “Va’ya’as Hashem Elokim l’adam u’l’ishto kosnos ohr…” The pasuk says exactly who did it. However, at the end of the Torah, the burial of Moshe Rabbeinu is left anonymous: “And He buried him in the valley.” The Name of Hashem Elokim is not mentioned! Why the difference? Which is it? Should gemilas chassadim be performed in anonymity or with a name attached?

The Mishmeres Elazar explains that the Torah is not only teaching us to perform chessed. The Torah is teaching us how to perform chessed. Sometimes (or perhaps, most of the time) it is important for chessed to be anonymous. A person is saved from embarrassment by not knowing who is performing this chessed for him. However, there are some situations in life, where it is important for the person to know who is performing the chessed.

After the aveira of Adam and Chava, when they realized what they had done and felt rejected, such that their relationship with the Ribono shel Olam had perhaps ceased to exist, it was important for the Ribono shel Olam to make the point that it was Hashem Elokim who was coming to their rescue. “Even though you committed a terrible aveira for which you are going to need to pay a significant price, nevertheless, I still love you!” In such a situation, the correct way to perform the chessed is to not do it anonymously, but rather to let the source of the chessed be known, to make the point that the relationship has not been broken.

This is different from the situation in V’zos Habracha, where there is no point in publicizing who buried Moshe Rabbeinu. Therefore, the pasuk just anonymously says “He buried him in the valley.”

The lesson is that we must not only practice chessed but we must learn how to practice chessed. Usually, it is best to keep our chessed anonymous. But at other times, it is preferable for the source of the chessed to become known.

Transcribed by David Twersky; Jerusalem [email protected]

Technical Assistance by Dovid Hoffman; Baltimore, MD [email protected]

This week’s write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly Torah portion. A listing of the halachic portions for Parshas Bereshis is provided below:

• # 026 – Adoption: Problems and Solutions
• # 068 – Artificial Insemination
• # 117 – Inducing Labor: A viable option?
• # 164 – Weddings in Shuls: Is there a Problem?
• # 210 – Is Marriage a Mitzvah?
• # 254 – Truth Tellings and Shidduchim
• # 300 – A Mamzer’s Obligation in Mitzvos
• # 344 – Marriage and the Birchas Airusin
• # 388 – The “Kedushai Ketanah” Controversy
• # 432 – Choices in Marriage Partners
• # 476 – Melacha of Planting
• # 520 – Kavod and Oneg Shabbos
• # 564 – You and Your Wife – Ishto Kegufo
• # 608 – The Tefilah of Modeh Ani
• # 652 – The Tefilah of Asher Yatzar
• # 696 – The Bracha on the Havdala Candle
• # 740 – When Exactly Does Shabbos Start?
• # 784 – The Beautiful Essrog – How Much More?
• # 828 – The Baal Teshuva and Pirya Ve’Rivya
• # 872 – Marrying Someone With The Same Name As Your Mother
• # 916 – Not Having Children?
• # 959 – The Case of the Mixed Up Wedding Ring
• #1003 – The Case of the Missing Shabbos Bathroom Tissue
• #1047 – Mogen Avos on Friday Night – When and Why?
• #1090 – Bracha on Havdalah Candle: Before or After?
• #1133 – Bracha of ELokai Neshama She’Naasaata Be
• #1176 – Chupa: Inside or Outside? In a Shul or Not In A Shul?
• #1220 – Forgetting Mashiv HaRuach on Friday Night
• #1264 – Can Women Drink from the Wine of Havdalah?
• #1308 – Can You Make Kiddush for Someone If It Is Not Shabbos for You?
• #1352 – Is It a Mitzva for a Man to Get Married?
• #1396 – Is a Person with a Hereditary Genetic Disease Obligated to Have Children?
• #1440 – Is This The Year That You Are Going To Be Maavir Sedra Properly?
• #1484 – The Bracha of Borei MeOrei HaAish
• #1528 – The Magnificent Bracha of Asher Yotzar
• (2022) – Jumping the gun on saying v’Sein Taal u’Matar

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