This powerful story sums up the message of the Torah Portion this week.
A women stopped to buy eggs. The old seller replied, '$0.25 an egg, Madam.'She said to him, 'I will take 6 eggs for $1.25 or I will leave.'The old seller replied, 'Come take them at the price you want. Maybe, this is a good beginning because I have not been able to sell even a single egg today.'She took the eggs and walked away feeling she has won. She got into her fancy car and went to a posh restaurant with her friend. There, she and her friend, ordered whatever they liked. They ate a little and left a lot of what they ordered. Then she went to pay the bill. The bill cost her $45.00, she gave $50.00 and asked the owner of the restaurant to keep the change. This incident might have seemed quite normal to the owner but, very painful to the poor egg seller. The point is, why do we always show we have power when we buy from needy ones? And why do we get generous to those who do not even need our generosity? My father used to buy simple goods from poor people at high prices, even though he did not need them. Sometimes he even used to pay extra for them. I got concerned by this act and asked him why does he do so? Then my father replied, "It is a charity wrapped with dignity, my child."
People often feel that doing a mitzvah - good deed is a favor to God. However God is infinite and does not need our favors. Each mitzvah and act of kindness is a brick in our own wall of growth and integrity.
Shabbat shalom
Dalai Lama