99 – Bestowing Kindness / Part II, Chapter Fourteen (b)
Another argument the Yetzer Ha-ra uses to prevent people from keeping this mitzvah of kindness is that you will need to leave a large inheritance to your children. However, this argument, as well, is not valid. Should a person be cruel against himself just because he is concerned about his children’s welfare? For it is well known that the punishment of Gehinnom is most harsh and severe, so if a person can redeem himself from this punishment through tzedakah and acts of kindness during his lifetime, why should he be a fool to bring such harsh and bitter suffering upon himself only to save money for his offspring? But by constantly thinking of ways to do kindness with the poor, a person is spared Gehinnom, as it is written: Praiseworthy is he who contemplates the needy, on the day of evil Hashem will deliver him (Tehillim 41:2). Our Sages commented that the word “evil” used in this verse refers to Gehinnom. And on the verse, And do not hide yourself from your kin (Yeshayah 58:7) our Sages expounded that it means that one should not overlook doing good and having mercy on one’s self by giving tzedakah and doing acts of kindness which will protect him from the punishments of Heaven.