Abraham the Patriarch was notably distinguished by the quality of benevolence. This quality was not limited to him alone, but was passed down through him as an inheritance to his descendants. As the text in our Parashah states: "Since I recognized him with special love, he commanded his children and his house that followed him to keep the way of Hashem by doing Tzedakah and justice."¹ We see that Abraham bequeathed the quality of benevolence to his descendants.
Benevolence is one of the three identifying marks of the Jewish people. The Gemara2 states: "This nation possesses three marks—they are compassionate, modest, and benevolent… and anyone who possesses these three characteristics is fit to be part of this nation.”.
SIGNS OF WHAT?
The term 'sign' means that the qualities in question serve as a sign of something else, namely, the principal and essential character of the people of Israel. What is that characteristic of which these are signs? It is the quality of self-annihilation. The Jew, in his essence, feels annihilation before the Most High, just as Abraham the Patriarch said: "I am dust and ashes."3.
From this self-annihilation arise its indicative characteristics—signs: the Jew is shameful, compassionate, and benevolent. This is the sequence of the Jew's functioning: shame—a nature of the soul; compassion—a feeling of the heart; and benevolence—the concrete action of practicing kindness. Shame is the open expression of inner self-annihilation; therefore, it is the first sign. It is what causes the Jew to be compassionate, and this compassion, in turn, moves him to act with kindness.
HUMAN KINDNESS
This is where the uniqueness of the Jewish people lies. As humans, we practice kindness, but this kindness does not necessarily stem from self-annihilation; on the contrary, it arises as a consequence of the ego.
Pride can sometimes even awaken feelings of compassion. Because one sees oneself as important, one may view others as inferior, thus eliciting compassion. One can even personally enjoy feeling a sense of greatness as a result of compassion and kindness toward those who suffer.
COMPASSION AND MODESTY
The kindness expected of the Jew, as a holy nation, arises from a sense of self-annihilation, as previously stated. This self-annihilation is a consequence of the awareness of the Divine presence and total subordination to the Most High. When one ceases to be self-absorbed—through submission to Hashem—then one feels for others and has compassion for them, doing so with complete humility.
This is generally the sequence. From shame one arrives at compassion, and from compassion to benevolent behavior.
But there is also the opposite case5, when compassion specifically allows the Jew to achieve shame.
The Jew understands that the very fact that his fellow man is poor and he is rich is to privilege him with the mitzvah of charity—Tzedakah. If this were not so, why would the Most High, Who feeds and sustains all, cause a situation where he is rich and his fellow man poor?
It is only because Hashem wanted his companion's sustenance to come specifically through him, through the Tzedakah and benevolence he will practice towards him.
But this awareness generates great shame, since for him to be worthy of practicing charity, his companion must suffer poverty and deprivation! It turns out, then, that precisely as a consequence of his compassion for his poor companion, a great inner shame and a profound self-annihilation awaken within him.
(Likutei Sichot Volume 30 Page 61)
Notes: 1. Our Parashah 18:19 2. Yebamot 79a 3. Our Parashah 18:27 4. In the order in which Rambam cites these three qualities (laws of forbidden relations, Chapter 19, Law 17). 5. In the order cited in the Talmud (from note 2)