Emuna Daily

R’ Elimelech of Lizhensk said, “I am confident of being admitted to Gan Eden.  The Heavenly Court will ask me, ‘Melech, did you study Torah adequately? and I will say ‘No.’ They will say ‘Did you daven properly?’ and I will say, ‘No.’  They will say ‘Did you give adequate tzedakah?’ and I will say ‘No.’ They will say, ‘He is truthful. Let him into Gan Eden.'” ~ R’ Abraham Twerski

Rabbi Shalom Dovber (the Rebbe Rashab) once instructed his son (the Rebbe Rayatz) to travel to a particular place to help a particular chassid and businessman. When the Rebbe Rayatz returned, he told his father, “I have done everything you told me. I did the favor in the best manner possible.”  The Rebbe Rashab replied, “You are making a mistake. The favor you have done is a favor for yourself, not for the other. The Almighty has done the favor for the other; he arranged emissaries to fulfill the divine providence. The favor you have done is for yourself as it says in the Midrash, “More than the house owner does for the poor man, the poor man does for the house owner.”