Included in Ahavat Yisrael is being especially careful with the downtrodden, specifically a yatom/orphan, and almana/widow.
The Brisker Rav was known for his tremendous care in Mitzvot, and he did not differentiate between man to man and man to God.
He was extremely careful with the warning from God, which says,
כל אלמנה ויתום לא תענון
All widows and orphans should not be pained
The rabbis say that the word, “Kol/all,“ includes even those that are wealthy and prominent, even if they are seemingly not underprivileged.
The Rambam, in Sefer Hamitzvot Lo Taaseh ( 256) says that this means they should not be pained neither with words nor deeds. Rather, speak to them softly, and nicely, and
ויתעסק עמם בעסק טוב
involve yourself with them in a proper, good way.
They should always be happy.
ויכוין ההפלגה בזה
Do this in an exaggerated way.
Someone who limits themselves in this transgresses a negative command… and he goes on to name the punishment that is brought down in the Torah.
When the Brisker Rav was escaping Europe, he needed an apartment in Vilna.
One of his students found an apartment for him that fit all of his needs, which was owned by a widow. The student prepared a contract with her and specifically asked for certain amenities, which he was willing to pay a higher price for. The student then went to the Brisker Rav, explained the arrangements he had made, and told him how had paid extra so that the widow would have no complaints about anything.
The Brisker Rav was agreeable to it all.
A week after they moved in, the student came by to check in with the landlord and see how things were going. She complained that the family was using a lot of water. It seemed that they washed Netilat Yadayim a lot. The student didn’t say anything to the Brisker Rav, but he told the children to try and use less water. After a few days went by, he went to check in with the landlord again, and again she was complaining. This time, the Brisker Rav noticed that she was complaining, and he asked his student what was going on. The student explained that she was complaining that they used too much water. When he heard this, the Brisker Rav said, “Oy! An almanah is complaining?!”
One of his children said, “But we using less water now after your student told us.”
The Brisker Rav signaled to his student to leave, and then had a private discussion with his children.
The next day, when the student returned, the almana came out to greet him with a big smile and said that everything was great and there were no more problems.
The student asked the Brisker Rav what had happened. The Rav explained that he took out the Rambam in Hilchot Deot and read it to his children. Once they heard it, they understood.
The words of the Rambam were: A person has to be careful with a yatom and almana because their soul is lowly and they are broken, even if they have money… We have the same responsibility, even for the widow or orphan of a king. We have to talk to them softly, with respect, not cause pain to their bodies with extra work, or pain to their hearts with strong words.
ויחוס על ממונם יותר מממון עצמו
You have to be concerned with their money, more than your own money.”
The Brisker Rav said that he explained to his children, “If it would be like our money, we made a contract and we paid for extra water. That is what the deal was, and she agreed to that. But we have an extra deal, that she did not agree to. That extra deal is that we have to be more careful with her money than we are with our own.”
He told his student that his children then understood, and they were now being more careful.
It’s unbelievable to see how a Gadol lived, and how he trained his children, and how important it is to be careful with the feelings of a yatom and almanah.
Have a wonderful day.