2026 —גדולת גמילות חסדים והשפעתה הרוחנית

B"H, 27 Shevat, 5713.

Brooklyn, NY.

Chevra Gemilus Chassadim Shomrei Shabbos and at its head Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a oskim b'tzorchei tzibbur b'emunah etc. Rabbi Avraham Sharpstein and Rabbi Yochanan Gordon

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to hear about your good activities, as well as to receive the brief report about your turnover during the year. I hope that, as with every matter of holiness which increases and grows, so too will the scope of your work expand in the coming days—not because Jews are forced by hardship but because their businesses will become greater and better.

My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe zatzal (of blessed memory), once spoke (in a talk from 5701/1941) about the greatness of the mitzvah of gemilus chassadim (acts of kindness), as understood by a Polotsk shopkeeper, Reb Yisroel—a chossid of tzt"z. While in Lubavitch by tzt"z for Parshas Vayeira, Reb Yisroel heard a maamar chassidus from the Rebbe that Avraham Avinu was generous with his body, his money, and his soul. The Rebbe tzt"z explained how Avraham Avinu, being here below, exchanged through his practical gemilus chassadim the Sefirah of Chesed of Atzilus; thus it is understood that Avraham was even higher than the attribute of Chesed of Atzilus itself.

Reb Yisroel did not grasp the entire maamar—only a few words struck him deeply. Returning home, he retold them at a chassidic farbrengen and then went off to his business. Although he did not need any money himself, he went to Nachman the shopkeeper for a gemach loan because he wanted to give Nachman the merit of fulfilling this mitzvah. Other shopkeepers too, having heard about the virtue of gemilus chassadim, would borrow from each other every day for this purpose.

When Reb Yisroel returned again to Lubavitch, tzt"z called him in and asked about his conduct. Later Admor Maharash asked tzt"z what he had seen in Reb Yisroel; tzt"z replied that he saw upon Yisroel the shopkeeper a pillar of light from Chesed of Atzilus.

If so—the mitzvah of gemilus chassadim is so great even when one does not actually need money; all the more so when someone truly needs it. The magnitude of reward for acts of kindness is beyond estimation and is explained in many places in our sages' teachings.

I wish to emphasize one aspect of this reward: It is known that the main bestower of kindness in this world is G‑d Himself, Who also grants each one of us powers from our Divine soul as a loan so we can fulfill our mission in this physical world—even in its most material aspects.

The profit from this G‑dly act of kindness is—as explained in Chassidus—the concept of 'the descent and ascent of the soul,' descent for the sake of ascent, and an ascent beyond all comparison. Simultaneously G‑d Himself—the lender Who gives us all our matters as a loan—also benefits so to speak; as it says in Midrash: 'When Israel do the will of their Maker they add strength and might above' (as explained at length in my revered father-in-law's maamar "Taamah Ki Tov Sachrah," 10 Shevat 5709).

I wish to conclude this letter with my wish and blessing that it be fulfilled among you—and all Israel—that each person should fulfill his mission in this world with joy.

With blessings for success.

Enclosed is my participation in your Gemilus Chassadim fund: a check for $100 as a donation and another check for $100 as a loan.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that acts of kindness elevate both giver and recipient spiritually—mirroring how G‑d bestows His kindness upon us—and encourages continued growth in these holy endeavors with joy.