Early
this morning I unloaded our very full dishwasher. It took a good
fifteen minutes to remove, spot-dry, sort and then finally reload the
pile of dirty dishes patiently awaiting their turn in the on-deck circle
of the kitchen sink.
To be honest, my intentions were altruistic, to perform an act of chessed by
surprising my wife with one less thing to do this morning. However, as
a human being, I was looking forward to the normal reciprocal
recognition and thank yous sure to come. So, I wondered, does that
anticipated recognition minimize the mitzvah? Does that "pleasure" make
it less altruistic?
More globally, is there really such a thing as pure, altruistic chessed?
As human beings, with all our self-centered desires and su bjective
needs, isn't there always an element of "what's in it for me?" Do we
have the capacity to be purely altruistic?
How
about that bumper sticker: "Practice random acts of kindness?" Does
the randomness make it more altruistic? It probably is more romantic
when chessed is practiced randomly with strangers. But does that make it more "pure"?
What is the Torah's approach to this issue? Here's what I think:
Random acts of kindness? They're wonderful.
Recognition? A deep necessity and part of the human condition.
Recognition? A deep necessity and part of the human condition.
Altruism? Very difficult for us humanoids, but oh-so-important to strive towards...
So where does the journey towards altruism begin?
One
of our generation's greatest rabbis and mussar teachers, Rabbi Avigdor
Miller, penned something called "Ten Steps to Greatness." Step number
three is my favorite: "Perform a daily act of loving-kindness that no
one but Hashem (G-d) knows."
Well, now that my discreet act of kindness is no longer so discreet, perhaps another opportunity will come my way soon. :)
