B"H

Thursday, Iyar 11, 5779 / May 16, 2019 (26th day of the Omer)

This Shabbat, in the Diaspora, we will recite the third chapter of Pirkei Avot. In this chapter, the Talmudic sage Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, speaks of the importance of being friendly, honest, ethical, helpful and courteous to others, for our relationship with others affects G-d’s relationship to us. 

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa says, "If one's fellows are pleased with someone, then G-d is pleased with them.  But if other people are not pleased with him, G-d is not pleased with him either." 

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa teaches us that we cannot separate our relationship to G-d from our relationship towards people.  G-d's satisfaction with us mirrors how others feel toward us as a result of our behavior toward them.

Rabbi Chanina’s lesson is especially appropriate at this time of the year, during the days of Sefirah, when we remember and mourn the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died as a result of strife amongst them. According to our sages the second Temple was destroyed for the sin of “Sinat Chinam” - “unjustified hatred” amongst Jews.

The Talmud relates many wonderful stories about Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa.  His care and dedication to the welfare of others is illustrated by the following Talmudic story:

Once, a passerby forgot a few chickens in front of Rabbi Chanina's home. Rabbi Chanina's wife found them.  Rabbi Chanina advised her that the chickens must be cared for until their owner would come and claim them.  Time went by and no one came to claim the chickens.  In the meantime, the chickens laid eggs and from the eggs came more chickens.  Finally, when caring for so many chickens became impossible, Rabbi Chanina sold the chickens and with the money he bought goats.  

One day, two people happened to walk by Rabbi Chanina's house.  One turned to his friend and said, "I just remembered that many years ago I forgot some chickens here."  Rabbi Chanina overheard this and approached the man.  When Rabbi Chanina was convinced that he was indeed the rightful owner, he showed him the many goats and told him, "Your chickens turned into goats… They’re yours!".  

Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa was very poor.  All week he and his family would eat carobs, which were so cheap that they were used as animal food.  "Each day," the Talmud tells us, "a voice from heaven would call out, 'The entire world is sustained because the merit of my son Chanina; yet my son Chanina suffices with a measure of carobs from one Shabbat to the next!"

Rabbi Chanina's daughter once accidentally poured vinegar instead of oil into the lamp used for Shabbat.  When she cried to her father about her mistake, Rabbi Chanina said, "Whoever decreed that oil shall burn will decree that the vinegar shall burn."  That Shabbat, the lamp burned the entire Shabbat!"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY