PERHAPS THERE IS HOPE
Rabbi Maragret Frisch Klein
Perhaps there is hope? There is always hope. The rabbis understood that when they included this story in the midrash: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was walking with his disciple Rabbi Joshua near Jerusalem after the destruction of the( Second) Temple. Rabbi Joshua looked at the ruins and said:“ Woe is us! The place which atoned for the sins of the people Israel through the ritual of animal sacrifice lies in ruins!” Then Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai spoke these words of comfort:
“ Be not grieved, my son. There is another way now of gaining atonement even though the Temple is destroyed. We must now gain atonement through gemilut hasadim, acts of lovingkindness, for it is written:“ For I desire hesed, lovingkindness, not sacrifice.”( Hosea 6:6) 16
Gemilut hasadim, acts of lovingkindness are so central to Judaism. We are taught that the world stands on three things: al hatorah, al ha’ avodah, v’ al gemilut hasadim, on Torah, on worship and on acts of lovingkindness.” 17 A section of the Talmud that is in our daily prayerbook teaches,
“ These are the obligations without measure, whose reward too is without measure: honoring parents, doing acts of lovingkindness...” 18
It continues by listing some of those deeds of lovingkindness: attending the house of study daily, welcoming guests, visiting
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Avot d’ Rabbi Natan 11a
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Pirke Avot 1:2
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Shabbat 127a
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