Compassion cannot look forward to gratitude because it does not deserve it. A feeling of compassion does not come from the same source as does human love, which suffers with human sufferings and rejoices with human happiness.

A compassionate person can have pity on his greatest enemy. It is hard for him at times, even not to begrudge a friend (sic). Seldom does a man rejoice whole-heartedly, when his neighbor lives peacefully and happily.

In accordance with Proverbs [one of the old books of the Old Testament, called Hebrew Mishle], If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; for thou will heap coals of fire upon his head, and Jehovah will reward you.

2

It is a common thing for people to help a friend should he be ill or in need, but should this friend become healthy and rich, they become his enemies, because although they sympathize with his suffering they view his happiness with jealousy.

Therefore, it is not strange that the wretched and downtrodden are not grateful to charitable persons. They feel that charity is given not for the sake of human love, but for pity's sake, and no self-conscious man can tolerate the thought of someone having pity on him. And, when circumstances force him to resort to a succor that humiliates him by inviting the sympathy of others, an irreconcilable feeling of being offended remains within his heart.

It stands to reason that the sympathizing and compassionate person is not to be blamed for this. The sentiment of compassion that is inmate to some people, urges them to help the suffering body, even if to do so they 3have to hurt the soul. Under these circumstances, those who share mercy and extend charity can hardly expect any thanks.

Compassion does not ease the sufferings in this world; pity on the sick does not eradicate the disease, and pity on the poor and hungry does not abolish poverty from the earth. This can only be done by human love lit up by divine rays of truth and justice. That is why we often witness the sublime phenomenon of people listening with eagerness to a public speaker who depicts the beatitudes of freedom and equality. Many wonder how anyone could allow himself to outline the future for people who are asking for bread and clothes. But this mystery of the human soul has been clearly understood by the prophets and saviours of humanity.

The success of prophets and messiahs lies in their great respect for the human soul. They do not look upon man as a mere two-legged animal to be moved by economic interests alone. While satisfying his hunger they do not forget that man possesses spiritual potentialities, the very thing that makes him a man.

4

And just as they hear his cry for bread and clothes, for food and coal, so do they hear the inaudible voices of the suppressed soul; voices which transform them into spokemen for the hungry and unemployed, and which drive them to demand in an exalted tone that which the downtrodden masses confined to their souls, but dared not announce publicly even in a whispering tone.