Our Sages said: “The world stands on three things: Torah, Divine service [of offerings], and acts of kindness.” Ever since the Temple was destroyed, it is incumbent upon us to fortify the two remaining pillars, which are Torah and kindness. In this merit our sins will be atoned, as it is written, through kindness and truth iniquity will be forgiven (Mishlei 16:6).
This is also the reason why it is necessary to pursue acts of kindness constantly, every day, just as the offerings in the Temple were brought daily upon the Altar. This is also the expression used by the Sages in several places, that a person must be “involved in Torah and acts of kindness”; that is, one should not be content with doing an act of kindness occasionally, when the opportunity happens to come his way, but rather a person should be constantly involved in doing acts of kindness alongside the involvement of studying Torah.
