Once upon a time, a very
nice hotel in Palm Beach did something very nice for me – and for the other
clergy on the island – they gave us all a complimentary membership to the
hotel’s beach club and brand new fitness center. (I’ll admit it is a nice perk.
:-)
Being a creature of habit,
I typically work out late in the afternoon. Upon finishing my workout, I empty
a packet of recovery drink into a plastic bottle and fill it up with ice water.
Since the beach bar is usually closed by this time and the large reservoir of
ice water on the counter put away, I'm forced to either add warm water to the
bottle (yuck!) or ask one of the bar attendants cleaning up to put some ice and
water in my bottle. Warm water is out of the question so I always ask, and they
always say yes.
The other day, however,
this routine was broken. After asking
one of the women behind the bar if she could fill up my bottle, she said to the
other attendant working with her “He is the only one I don’t mind doing this
for.” The other woman then replied, “I agree.”
I didn’t understand, so I
asked them to clarify. “You are the only person who asks us nicely,” she said.
“Everyone else tells us to give them water; you ask us." It seemed impossible to
me but they swore it was true.
I’m not sharing this to toot
my own horn. (Trust me, I have my grumpy moments.) Yet, it was distressing to hear that common
courtesy is - seemingly - in such short supply.
Everyday kindness might
seem like a trifle, but it is not. There is a famous saying in the Mishnah that
states: “Al shlosha d’varim ha’olam omed: al ha-Torah, v’al ha-avodah, v’al
g’milut chassadim - The world depends on three things: Torah, Prayer, and Acts
of Kindness." (Pirkei Avot 3:21).
Note that the rabbis place
Acts of Kindness equal to the Torah.
And so should we.
Most of the moments of
holiness in our lives happen on the street, not in the synagogue. Being kind and courteous are sacred acts;
little moments of prayerful action that we bring to the world everyday by means
of our countless interactions with others.
When you think about it, it
is really quite elegant and beautiful.
I suppose all we have to do now is live our lives accordingly.
I suppose all we have to do now is live our lives accordingly.
B'Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Resnick
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