© 2006 by Robert Lepor. All rights reserved.
[In addition to all that which we have stated previously], this mitzvah [of loving and pursuing peace] is one of the [actions performed] for which a person eats of their fruits in this world and the principle [of the reward] remains intact for [that person] in The World to Come. [This follows that which] is [taught] in the first chapter of [maseches] Peah (Mishna 1). We can also see the greatness of this matter [of imposing peace] from that which [our Sages of Blessed Memory] have said in [maseches] Ta’anis (22a): “Rabbi Berokah Choza’ah was standing in the marketplace of Vei Lefet. [Thereupon], Eliyahu, who is mentioned for good, came and appeared to [Rabbi Berokah Choza’ah. Rabbi Berokah] said to [Eliyahu]: “Who is there in this marketplace [who is deserving to enter] The World to Come [Meaning: He is prepared to enter The World to Come]? [Eliyahu] said to [Rabbi Berokah]: “None of them [are deserving to enter The World to Come].” After a while, a certain individual came [to the marketplace]… After a while, another two [people] came. Eliyahu [then] said to [Rabbi Berokah]: “These are also deserving of a portion in The World to Come].” [Rabbi Berokah] approached these individuals and said to them: What are your occupations? They said to [Rabbi Berokah]: We are jesters, [we are happy and we make others happy], when we see someone who is in a sad state of mind, we cheer him up.” [Chofetz Chaim’s note: For [cheering up one’s spirits] is also a big mitzvah, [as he] relieves a person from his troubles and his fears, and [this mitzvah] is included under [the mitzvah of] “and you shall love your fellow as [you love] yourself.” [By cheering up another individual], one brings great satisfaction to The Holy One, Blessed is He. [Cheering up a fellow Jew and the satisfaction that it brings HaShem] is comparable to one who has a son in another city, [that son] being full of fears and suffering. The father certainly has a yearning that [his son] will, at the very least, find a certain man [in that city] who will comfort [his son] and speak to his heart in order to strengthen him and give him support so that [the son] shouldn’t get sick as a result of his many fears. [Likewise], we are sons to HaShem, our G-d. Similarly, our Sages of Blessed Memory [have] brought this same parable with regards to the matter of Tzedakah.] [The jesters in the aforementioned gemara conclude by stating, that, aside from cheering people up], “when we see two people involved in a conflict with one another, we exert effort and we make peace between them”.
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