Word Prompt – MALACH – Cheryl Kupfer

Our understanding of a malach, the Hebrew word for angel, is of a celestial being who are Hashem’s “employees.” They are usually messengers, who can bring news of the future or they can be “hit men.” They carry out Hashem’s orders. They are not human and are not affected by time. 

But angels can be actual humans, not in the sense that they are Hashem’s henchmen, but in their middah of extreme kindness; in going the extra mile in helping someone who is floundering physically and emotionally and financially. Usually, these people make a huge different in one’s existential well-being, for example, by driving people to their crucial medical treatments when there’s a blizzard and no public transportation, or by watching children when their parents are overwhelmed, or by lending huge sums of money to prevent a foreclosure, or to pay other huge bills. With no time limit on repayment or even an expectation of payment. And to constantly invite those for Shabbat and Yom Tov meals who otherwise would spend the holidays alone. 

And what’s mind boggling is that these human angels don’t think that what they did was a big deal. And they genuinely are perplexed when their extreme generosity, be it with time or money, is pointed out and they are thanked. 

May we merit to have these kind of angels in our lives – and merit one day to be in a position to pay it forward.