Today is the 29th day of the Omer (counting period), which is Chesed (kindness) of Hod (splendor). So let’s try to understand what Chesed of Hod is. Whenever we have the week, that’s the goal. The day is the time that allows us to reach our goal through that conduct. For example, today is Chesed, the first day of the week. It’s four weeks and one day, the 29th day of the Omer, and this week is Hod. That means our goal is to be able to praise the HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
The praise should come through a Chesed. So again, let’s begin. For a man himself, we have humans, we have problems, and we have, Baruch Hashem, so much good. So much good. Baruch Hashem, we’re healthy. We have a family. We have a house, cars, children. Yes, we also have our baggage that comes along. But we have so much, so much good. The Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) always tries to make sure that our focal point should be on the dat, the missing, the little defect that we are missing.
Today’s job is to be able to thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for all the Chesed that He has done for us. And, as we say on Shabbat, there are thousands and hundreds of thousands of hatavot: good things that Hashem does for us. We live better than kings ever lived in history. We have access to all the facilities. We have restaurants. We have, Baruch Hashem, so much good, so much Chesed.
So the first step, in his mind, is to work on oneself: to thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for the chasadim (acts of kindness) that He has done for us. There’s one Beracha (blessing) that I always feel made an impact on me personally: when we say every morning, when we wake up, “HaKadosh Baruch Hu, I know yesterday wasn’t perfect. I know yesterday, if I went to sleep, You did not have to give me back my neshama (soul), and yet You have trust in me.” That in itself is a tremendous Chesed. We wake up in the morning and say, “Hashem, You have trust in me that I’m about to be somebody who You expect me to be.” That in itself is a tremendous Chesed that we have to thank Borei Olam (Creator of the world) for: even though we have all our issues that HaKadosh Baruch Hu can collect, Borei Olam still gives us back our neshama.
So when we say in the morning, and we’re ready for the hatavot—all the past good things that Hashem has done for us—and we’re about to embark on today’s day, we say, “You’re preparing my legs like Netzach (victory) and Hod. You’re preparing my day for me. You’re mapping out my day for me.” And I know that the map, the navigation, that destination that You have planned for me is for my good. Borei Olam, You gave me talent. You did so much Chesed for me personally.
So when we make these berachot, and these weeks of Netzach and Hod, You are preparing my days for me this week. Borei Olam is giving us the opportunity to recognize that we are here for Him. We are here to exercise our ma’alot, our uniqueness, our Beracha that we have and You gave it to us in that preparation of that day. I have to thank Hashem. I have to Meshabeach (praise) Hashem. That’s the theme of the week: to be moderated, to come to that recognition that Borei Olam, You did so much for me and I’m equipped. I have that ability to overcome today’s challenges, and that’s a tremendous foundation that we can take on this week.
Another angle that we have to thank Hashem for is that we’ve been praying to HaKadosh Baruch Hu for so many things, asking God to give us things. The Rambam asks a question. He says that the ultimate reward for a human being is the next world. So if the ultimate reward is the next world, the world to come, that’s eternal. So then what does it mean in the Pasuk (verse)? “If you’re going to listen to my commandments, I will make sure that financially you’re stable. I’ll make sure that you are healthy.” And the Rambam says that’s not a reward. Health, clarity of mind, a healthy body, an atmosphere of productivity—these are not payments for our mitzvot (commandments). They are facilitators. These are the tools that HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave us to be successful, to accomplish what we are sent down here for.
These chasadim are recognitions that we have to have of Borei Olam: all the tools that we have are really chasadim that Hashem gave me uniquely for me. These tools are the tools that I can use to praise Borei Olam. I can maximize my potential, what I was sent down here for, to be able to give back, to be able to do the mitzvot of Borei Olam. And we have to thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for those things that we keep on asking for, even if we didn’t get them yet. That in itself—the fact that we thank Hashem, the lehodot, we thank Hashem for the chasadim that we want to anticipate to get—we could also focus on that as well.
Bein Adam Lechavero, between man and his friend. Just like we are needy, just like we need things, everybody surrounding us is the same. And it’s no coincidence that today I just got a phone call from my nephew. He opened up a Kollel (advanced study fellowship) in Lakewood and asked me to support him. And it’s amazing: today’s Chesed, he’s in a makom (place), he has a responsibility to the avreichim (married religious scholars), he has to make sure that the avreichim get paid. So he’s in a makom, and he wants to thank the Kadosh (Holy One) when we do Chesed, support, and give to somebody who is trying to do something for the community, for other people. Right now, the burden that he’s shouldering—that burden—it’s difficult. When we actually support somebody who’s doing something for the community or for himself, we do that Chesed; he himself will come to thank HaKadosh Baruch Hu for having that, to be able to raise money.
This just happened to me a few minutes ago. But it’s not just that. It’s everything. We know there are people around us who need things, and they constantly pray to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. If you have the opportunity to help them, it’s a Ma’aseh Chesed (act of kindness). Today’s day is Chesed. And through that Chesed, that person is going to thank. But it’s not just regarding physical needs. You know somebody is down and you can boost them up. You can call them up and give them a good word, a word of encouragement. Even when you talk to him, you want to give him a donation, whatever you want to do, but you point out to them, to him, to her, the unique qualities that they possess and how special they are. So you are doing Chesed with them, and they in return will do and will praise. These are the middot (character traits) between man and... And to perfect the middot of Chesed today, the 29th day, the 4th day, the 4th week, in the 4th week, meaning the 5th week and the first day of the fifth week. Amen ve’amen.