The scene is set: Saul, the first king of Israel, is preparing for battle against the Amalekites. This wasn't just any battle. The Amalekites, as we read elsewhere in Torah, held a special place in Israel's history as a particularly vile enemy.
But here's the twist. As Saul approaches the Amalekite camp, he sees some of the children of Israel mingled among them. What's he to do?
Saul calls out, urging them to separate themselves. He quotes to the Kenites: "Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them" (1 Sam. 15:6). Basically, "Get out of there, or you'll get caught in the crossfire!"
Now, why would Israelites be living among the Amalekites in the first place? That's a story for another time. But the really interesting question is: why are the Kenites – a different group entirely – being singled out for salvation?
The answer, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, lies in an act of kindness. Think back to Jethro, also known as Reuel, the father-in-law of Moses. Remember him? He wasn't even an Israelite! He was a Midianite priest!
Did Jethro show loving-kindness, or chesed in Hebrew, to all of Israel? No. The text explicitly points out: he showed loving-kindness to Moses. Just Moses!
But here's the kicker: because Jethro showed kindness to Moses, one of the great leaders of Israel, it was considered as if he had shown kindness to the entire nation. And because of this single act of chesed, his descendants, the Kenites, were saved from the Amalekites. They were spared from destruction generations later because of the merit earned by their ancestor!
Isn't that incredible?
This story, packed into a single paragraph in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 44, speaks volumes. It's not just about battlefield strategy or ancient grudges. It’s about the ripple effect of good deeds. It suggests that kindness, especially towards those in positions of leadership or influence, can have consequences far beyond what we can imagine. It echoes the idea that we are all interconnected, and that our actions – even seemingly small ones – can have a profound impact on the world around us.
So, the next time you're considering an act of kindness, remember Jethro and the Kenites. Remember that you never truly know how far your chesed might reach.