A Little Good Goes a Long Way

'It came to pass when Pharaoh sent the people.' (Shemos 13:17)

The Midrash Tanchuma explains that as a reward for Pharaoh escorting and sending the Jews out of Egypt, the Egyptians were granted the rights of conversion. As it says: 'You shall not despise an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his land. Children who are born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the Lord.' (Devarim 23:8-9)

Rav Yehudah Leib Chasman asks why should there be a reward? It was only after the tenth plague and because of fear for his own life, that Pharaoh finally gave in to release the Jewish people. There should be no reward, and surely not such a great reward.

Every human being is made up of a body and a soul. The soul of even the lowliest person is infinite and reaches to the heights of the heavens. Pharaoh was rewarded for the minuscule good will buried deep in his heart during the act of letting the Jewish people go. Most evil and immoral individuals still have some minute redeeming qualities, which will not go unrewarded.

As it says in Gemara in Shabbos 32a: And these are man's advocates: repentance and good deeds. And even if nine hundred and ninety-nine argue for his guilt, while one argues in his favour, he is saved, for it is said, If there be with him an angel, an advocate, one among a thousand, To show unto man what is right for him; Then he is gracious unto him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, etc. Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Jose the Galilean said: Even if nine hundred and ninety-nine parts of that angel are in his disfavour and one part is in his favour, be is saved, for it is said, 'an advocate, one part in a thousand'.

Application: Can you see the good in the dark side of your personality?

Give 10 quick answers off the top of your head to the following sentence stems: If I would see the good in my darker side, I would ... If I would see the good in every person I would ...