Maran HaRav Shach zt"l
In a talk in Yeshivas Ponovezh during the Yom Kippur War, HaRav Shach zt"l said: "We find in several places in the Torah that acts of chessed and kindness have the power to prevent cruelty, and precisely these are the acts which one must perform at a time when brutality is rampant. How much truer this is regarding acts between man and his fellow man, for even if one causes another pain, the victim should realize that only by being kind and merciful towards his oppressor, can he prevent him from continuing to hurt him."
Therefore, it is our obligation at this time to increase the measure of chessed and benevolence towards others. There are many ways for yeshiva students to apply the attribute of generosity which is of a higher level than chessed through money etc. Benevolence and generosity can also be practiced in spiritual matters, and these will affect a person's soul. This is surely chessed, which has the power of fighting harmful influence.
Chessed of a spiritual nature can be practiced by making a study partnership with another, which beyond its intrinsic value, has the power to prevent the exile of our people. The gemara quotes (Daniel 9:24), "Hashem has watched over the evil and brought it upon us, for Hashem is righteous in all His works."
The gemara asks how can we understand that because He is righteous He brought evil upon us? Rather, Hashem served a kindness to the Jewish people by anticipating the exile of Tzidkiyahu and that of Yechonya in which latter (actually the first) expulsion, He also exiled the Torah sages. Rashi explains there that He hastened the exile of Tzidkiyahu even during the exile of Yechonya, so that the exilees could be together with the Torah sages who had been exiled previously, and could learn from them.
There are other aspects to this as well. The greatest danger to the Jewish people is the cessation of Torah study, for wherever Torah study ceased, Jews ceased to exist in that place. Only Torah study has the merit of Jewish continuity within the exile. Torah Study can also bring the benefit of kindness and chessed between man and his fellow man in spiritual levels, which alone is a safety barrier and armament against the strengthening of evil, brutal and murderous powers in the world.
