by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com
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It was featured last Thursday on the Jimmy Kimmel Show that was hosted by Mark Roper.
The goal of the show was to see if anyone would help out another human being when the logistics would be very hard. Most of the people walking by ignored those “in need” (they were actors who were faking their dire situations – hired by teh Jimmy Kimmel show.)
A certain individual Menachem, however, came out in flying colors. He helped out the person in the Penguin costume – who was in dire need.
The Gemorah in Yevamos 79a that we were just mesayem tells us that Dovid HaMelech said, There are three simanim of this ummah, Klal Yisroel. They are baalei rachamim – merciful, they are baishanim (bashful – hm.. is there a word connection here?), and they perform acts of chessed.
They are merciful, as the pasuk states: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Dvarim 13:18); not only will Hashem have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are baishanim, as it is written: “And that His fear shall be upon your faces” (Shmos 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.
They perform acts of chessed, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Hashem to practice righteousness and justice” (Bereishis 18:19).
It is clear that Menachem pictured here, is both a baal rachamim and a baal chessed nd has performed a huge kiddush Hashem here. Is he single? Is he married? Who is this wonderful person who has such midos and fulfills vehalachta bidrachav so well?
And by the way, there was much more to the story that was apparently edited out. The “mean boss” who wouldn’t let his employee even use the bathroom was given Mussar by Menachem. “How could you NOT LET HIM leave and go to the bathroom?!? He is a human being! You can’t do this!! It is wrong!”
Rabbi Hoffman now writes a weekly parsha sheet on Emes. If anyone wishes to subscribe to this weekly column entitled “Sfas Tamim” written by Rabbi Hoffman – please email [email protected]
The best part is how he avoids hugging or touching that lady after he wins the prize for them
That’s my former 7th grade talmid! He does have beautiful midos and he is in fact a terrific dancer – I danced with him at a wedding last year 🙂
This is true chesed!
The hosts name is Mark Rober
Not Roper
Truly heartwarming……
True kiddush hashem…..
Jimmy’s show has done same concept before- and yes, it was also a frum yid who stopped to help.
menachem is good samaritan
Yes they won $5,000 however, as it works in the People’s Republic of California, the disaster known as Los Angeles, you pay taxes immediately on prize winnings. This means, if they walked out with $1,000, they are very very very lucky!
Keep voting socialist!
They got the $15,000, but they didn’t get the watermelon because it was blown up to smithereens! As a watermelon lover, I must say: ‘That’s the pits!’ My heart goes out to them. What a sad ending.
It’s only a real Kiddush HaShem if Rabbi Hoffman would have done it …
Didn’t seem very bashful though….
What did he do that was a Kiddush Hashem ( it seems we have a very low bar for that today)?
This was clearly a set up. This was staged from the beginning. No normal person just randomly puts on a penguin costume in middle of the day for a total stranger and then dance around. Where was he coming from? Where was he going? Unemployed? Way too much time on his hands.
hm.. i have never held a job even though I am 36 since my yeshiva education deprived me of any secular knowledge but i do know how to hold a sign and wear a penguin costume. how can i apply for this job and how much does it pay?