Avraham then concluded, "If the kindness that they showed to animals is so great that in that merit they were saved from the Flood, imagine how much greater a mitzvah it will be if I perform loving kindness with human beings who are created in the liking of their Creator."

From this realization, Avraham became the great pillar of chessed upon which the world stood. And even until today, the Children of Avraham, the Jewish People, are outstanding in the attribute of charity and goodwill to others.

Rav Moshe Mordechai Shulzinger zt"l told a story which illustrates how the Gaon, HaRav Shach zt"l exemplified this character trait to its extreme.

HaRav Shach was already 96 years old and had lain down for a short afternoon nap. For some reason, the person who was supposed to be with him in his apartment, taking care of him, was not there at the time. Suddenly, Rav Shach heard someone knocking at the door - not during the regular visiting hours. Rav Shach was in bed, but the knocking continued incessantly. Rav Shulzinger commented that we would have been very annoyed with the intruder. First of all, now was not the time to come, unless it was for an emergency. Secondly, if one knocks on a door and no one answers, then common decency commands that he leave and return later. Perhaps no one is home or perhaps they cannot answer right now - especially when the one who lives here is 96 years old!

But Rav Shach did not get upset. He realized that he was alone in the house, so he got out of bed. Putting on his shoes by himself was an ordeal, but he didn't hesitate - afraid that the person might go away by the time he got to the door. He understood that it must be someone with an urgent request who was knocking persistently.

When he finally opened the door, Rav Shach found a teenage girl standing there. "Shalom Harav," she said sweetly, as if she had done nothing wrong. "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

"Surely," the Rav replied, with his typical, big friendly smile. "What can I do for you?"

The girl explained that she studied in the girls' seminar Ohr HaChaim and that her brother studied in Yeshivah Bet Shemaya. She related that her brother was getting married that night and that she had come to ask the Rav for his blessing for the young couple.

Rav Shach was not at all annoyed. He wished the bride and groom a long, happy life together; with all of their spiritual and materialistic needs fulfilled. He also blessed the girl that when the right time comes she should find her proper match too. The girl left blissfully.

Rav Shach did not go back to sleep. He returned to his study and continued learning. Later, the attendant finally arrived. Instead of scolding him for leaving the Rav alone when he was supposed to be taken care of the old, sick man, Rav Shach told him, "It's so good that you weren't here this afternoon. Apparently it was destined from Heaven." Rav Shach then told him about the unexpected "visitor" and what she had wanted. "Imagine," said the Sage, "If you had been here, you would have chased her away and told her that I was asleep. Who knows if she would have returned? After all, her brother's wedding was that night and surely she was very busy with the preparations. And then I would have missed the opportunity to bless a Jewish girl and her brother and his bride, and make them all happy!"

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