Earned chesed versus unearned gifts

בפסוק ויתן אברהם את כל אשר לו ליצחק ולבני הפילגשים כו' נתן אברהם מתנות.

On the verse "And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak, and to the sons of the concubines… Avraham gave gifts" (Bereishis 25:5-6).

The Sefas Emes contrasts what Avraham bequeathed wholly to Yitzchak with the mere "gifts" he gave to the sons of the concubines.

וכבר כתבנו במ"א.

And I have already written about this elsewhere.

He notes he has treated this verse before and will now give the idea in brief.

והענין בקצרה כי אאע"ה עמוד החסד כמ"ש שהחסד מתגלגל בעולם בשבילו והוא הכלי שברא השי"ת להיות חסדו מגיע לעולם על ידו כמ"ש תתן אמת ליעקב חסד לאברהם שעל ידו מתגלה החסד בעולם.

The matter in brief: Avraham Avinu is the pillar of chesed (lovingkindness), as it is said that chesed circulates in the world on his account, and he is the vessel that Hashem created so that His chesed should reach the world through him — as it is written: "You shall grant truth to Yaakov, chesed to Avraham" (Michah 7:20) — for through him chesed is revealed in the world.

Avraham embodies the attribute of chesed; Hashem made him the channel through which His kindness flows into creation, so that all chesed in the world comes by way of Avraham.

אכן כתיב מה רב טובך אשר צפנת.

However, it is written: "How abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored away" (Tehillim 31:20).

There is a higher, hidden treasure of divine goodness that is not poured out freely but reserved for those who earn it.

ולכן צריך עוד החסד לירד דרך יצחק ויעקב כמ"ש גומל חסדים טובים והוא כלל הג' אבות.

Therefore the chesed must further descend by way of Yitzchak and Yaakov, as we say "who bestows good kindnesses (gomel chasadim tovim)" — which includes all three Avos.

For chesed to become "good" chesed, it must pass through Yitzchak (din) and Yaakov (emes) as well; the phrase "good kindnesses" embraces the combined avodah of all three Avos.

גומל הוא בדרך שזוכין ע"י מעשינו ואז הוא חסד טוב.

"Gomel" (bestows) means in a manner that we merit through our deeds, and then it is "good chesed."

When kindness is earned through our own actions, it becomes truly "good" — chesed that is deserved rather than unearned.

ולהם נתן מתנות אף שאין ראוים כמ"ש בתפילת שלמה ע"ה לנכרי ככל אשר יקרא ע"ש.

And to them [the sons of the concubines] he gave gifts even though they were not worthy, as it is said in the prayer of Shlomo, peace be upon him: [grant] to the gentile "according to all that he calls out [to You]" (Melachim I 8:43) — see there.

A pure "gift" is given even to the unworthy, like Shlomo's prayer that Hashem answer the gentile's plea — free chesed bestowed without merit.

אבל לבני ישראל צריכין לזכות להחסד ע"י היראה והדין.

But Bnei Yisrael must earn the chesed through yirah (awe) and din (judgment/discipline).

Israel does not receive kindness as an undeserved handout; they earn the higher, "good" chesed through yiras Shomayim and the discipline of din — the way of Yitzchak.

וכן הוא בזוה"ק כעין זה:

And so it is in the holy Zohar, in a similar vein.

The Sefas Emes notes the Zohar expresses a comparable idea.

Summary: Avraham is the pillar of chesed, the vessel through which Hashem's kindness reaches the world. But there is a hidden, higher "goodness" that cannot simply be given away; it must descend through all three Avos — chesed refined by the din of Yitzchak and the emes of Yaakov — becoming "good chesed" only when earned through our deeds. The unworthy receive mere "gifts," but Bnei Yisrael earn the true chesed through yirah and din.