How We Behave When No One is Looking

 Three of the Mitzvot in Parshat Kedoshim are: 1) Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in the front of the blind; 2) do not hate another person in your heart; 3) and do not have inaccurate weights and measures. At first glance there is no connection between these three prohibitions. However, upon further reflection you realize that all three of these Mitzvot are examples of prohibitions that we could violate and get away with. If I curse the deaf, he can’t hear me. The blind person cannot see who put the stumbling block in front of him. I can hate anyone in my heart without that person or anyone else ever knowing. And if I am a storekeeper and have inaccurate weights and measures, chances are that I could get away with it most of the time. There are three reasons why even if I won’t get caught, these actions are still wrong and must be avoided. First, whether I get caught or not these actions are still hurtful and harmful to the victim. By placing a stumbling block in front of the blind, I am physically hurting him. By having inaccurate weights and measures I am financially harming someone. And cursing the deaf or hating someone in my heart will have a negative impact on the way that person is treated by me and others. Second, even if no other human being catches what I did wrong, Hashem will always know. Perhaps this is why after each of these three Mitzvot the Torah reminds us: “Ani Hashem” “I am G-d”. Hashem is telling us that even if no one else knows what we did, He certainly does and will deal with us accordingly. Lastly, these actions are wrong even if I won’t get caught because of the negative impact that it will have on me. The purpose of the Mitzvot is to make me a better person. Doing a mitzva in public for all to see is a wonderful thing. But even more wonderful is when a person does a Mitzvah when no one is around to see it or to congratulate me.  At the beginning of this week’s Parsha, we read about the gifts to the poor known as Leket, Shikcha and Peah. A field owner must leave some of his crop in his field after the harvest so that poor people can come and take what they need. The field owner does not know the recipient of his charity. It’s also entirely possible that the poor who take this charity do not know who actually owns the field. To give tzedaka in a way that the giver and recipient both remain anonymous is considered by the Rambam as one of the highest forms of Tzedaka. Here again we see an example of a mitzva being performed without any fanfare, and it is considered to be one of the best ways to fulfill it. Just as it is important to perform Mitzvot in public when the spotlight is on us, so too it is important for us to appreciate the value of private and anonymous Mitzvot, when no one is looking. Just as we must be careful to avoid a public Chilul Hashem, we must also avoid bad behavior when no one is looking and when we might be able to get away with it.