Chicken Fingers Mitzvah

“Grandma, if you share your chicken fingers with me, it would be a mitzvah.” I almost plotzed as my granddaughter, at 3 years of age, was able to use the word mitzvah in its proper context. Mitzvah is loosely defined as an act of kindness. How amazing is it to teach that to young children in nursery school? I just love the fact that my grandchild is learning the importance of kindness in school.

When I think about acts of kindness I wish all people would think about the meaning of mitzvah. Do we need to think about how we treat people? Or, does how we are raised and our morals guide us to be kind in our lives?

When was the last time you held the door open for someone? When was the last time your husband got out of the car, walked around and opened your car door? When was the last time you called your mother, stepmother, aunt or grandma to ask her how she is and what she did that day? When did you last surprise her with a visit?

I constantly worry that people today are consumed with themselves rather than act caring toward others. When I was growing up, neighbors would come over to help my mom if a sibling or I was sick. A neighbor might bring a coloring book for the sick child, cook a prepared meal or sit with us kids while my mom did errands. Community was important, and random acts of kindness, or mitzvahs, were present in the past.

It concerns me that that my grandchildren will never have the sense of community we had generations ago. Are we all consumed about making money and materialism? What happened to wanting to be a good person? It takes thought and awareness of others not just of oneself to do a mitzvah.

When my granddaughter asked me to share her chicken fingers, I let her know that was a mitzvah. Each day is a mitzvah. Thank you to the schools that introduce the word mitzvah to young people. That in itself is a mitzvah. Thank goodness we can teach our grandchildren acts of kindness by showing up and being present in their lives.