Video: Curb Your Enthusiasm II

Published: February 2, 2008

Did Jeff do the wrong thing by trying to help someone?

Give Tzedakah! Help Aish.com create inspiring
articles, videos and blogs featuring timeless Jewish wisdom.

Visitor Comments: 19

(19) Anonymous, July 26, 2011 7:05 AM

It definitely important to do good and help people, though I do understand that it can be frustrating when there is a negative response when we try to help. I know from experience

(18) A, February 18, 2008 9:01 PM

Just do It!

Doing good, is not about recognition. It's like planting seeds that will germinate 'whenever'.
How people react or respond to our deeds is a separate issue. We allow ourselves to fall into a mind game IF we too want to react or respond to the theirs.

(17) paul a. hitchcock, February 17, 2008 1:30 PM

no good is not good, even if there's no good when there's good.

nothin' for good will come if we aren't good for nothin', even if it's for a good for nothin' who's done nothin' for good!

'toothless"

(16) Anonymous, February 14, 2008 2:26 PM

Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

I thought that the clip wasn't all that amusing. They tried too hard to be funny and that makes it UNfunny. I also found it rather insulting to refer to an "inner city kid." It just wasn't funny at all.

I help others and then shut up about it. Then I forget I helped. If you're going to do good, great...but don't go bragging about it, that's why I chose to remain anonymous in this post. I don't want or expect thanks for what I do. I'm attacked sometimes for doing things because some people think there's got to be an ulterior motive for what I do. That's baloney. It's also a shame that they can't see the value of doing something just for the sake of making some other person happier because of what I could do for them.

In my wealthier days I would find that someone was having a rough economic time, so I'd pay their rent for a month or two without them knowing who did it. I'd hire a mechanic to fix someone's car but never let them know who did it.

Yes, there was an ulterior motive after all, I felt good that I was able to share what I had...and then promptly forgot about it.

(15) Susan Kruse, February 9, 2008 12:52 AM

Of course not!

Trying to help others is good. Burned cabins and canteens go with the territory, however. If they didn't need help, they wouldn't have come up as a candidate for a good deed, right?
This one really needed help. His good deed has only begun. You've got to be willing to get your hands dirty, be embarassed and be underappreciated. It's not about you.

(14) Anonymous, February 7, 2008 12:43 AM

Bad Choice!

The question is not a moral one. Maybe he did the right thing, maybe he didn't. The REAL question is why has he not called in "Queer Guys" to fix his wardrobe.(are they still around?) The brown shirt with the "shlaikes" (suspenders) was truly awful. A philanthropist needs to look good for all photo ops.

(13) Bill in Pittsburgh, February 6, 2008 9:33 AM

Why an inner city kid

Jeff did not do the wrong thing but it was miss directed. There are many in need in this world. As Jews shouldn't we be helping each other. How many Jewish kids would like to go to a Jewish summer camp. Jews in Isreal are going hungry. Jeff and Larry would do well to remember that being Jewish is not only good for a joke but they should do something positive for thier Jewish community.

(12) neska, February 6, 2008 9:15 AM

makes ya think

what was funny was watching jeff & larry improvise and the kick they were getting out of each other. the "watch out""don't you tell me what to do" is sadly, terribly funny and terribly real. thanks for making me think.

(11) David, February 6, 2008 12:19 AM

He Tried, He Tried

Jeff Tried but he shouldn't have given the kid matches and certainly the canteen drapes should have been fireproof. What did he expect?

(10) Anonymous, February 5, 2008 5:15 PM

You did the right thing

by putting this up on the email. It was the right thing to do1:-)

(9) realsister, February 5, 2008 9:22 AM

You're missing the point!

The question is not whether Jeff did the right thing. The question is whether it is funny, and it is. Of course he did the right thing. It is Larry David's questioning of it that is funny. I can't believe I'm participating in a blog about this. Just laugh!

(8) Yakov, February 5, 2008 9:20 AM

Jeff paid for the kid â€“ like a father pays. Jeff will feel for the kid â€“ like a father feels. Jeff will have to plead for the kid â€“ like a father pleas. Kids are kids and fathers are fathers. Mission accomplished Jeff!

(7) Michael, February 5, 2008 8:55 AM

Tikkum Olom a Jewish value

Jeff did the right thing and should consider continuing to help others. As Jews we are required to make the world a better place.

(6) charlene, February 4, 2008 7:22 PM

no he did not

He did what he thought was good for the child and that is always good even though some thing might go wrong.I have done things like that and it has backfired but I just pick up and help some one else until some thing else happens because G-d does ask us to do things for each other and not ask for rewards.It will come to us or does not G-d sees and will take care of it all.

(5) Mr Mel, February 4, 2008 6:22 PM

Good Deed

The old canard, "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" would be apt here.

(4) RJ Mosk, February 4, 2008 3:29 PM

It is called Tikkun Olom

Of course, he did the right thing! Some-thing good always comes from something bad.....that is a lesson my grandma taught me.

(3) Anonymous, February 4, 2008 12:00 PM

No, Jeff did not do anything wrong.

Assuming that an organization recommends a child for sponsorship, it is the responsibility of that organization to do the background check on the child they are suggesting for sponsorship. Nothing is said in the clip regarding how well Jeff knew the kid. Of course, even a background check might not reveal a tendency towards pyromania, if this were its first appearance! Even if Jeff knew the child, he might not have known about the pyromania.

(2) Anonymous, February 3, 2008 11:50 AM

It's never wrong to help someone

We should not do good deeds just to feel good about ourselves. Jeff was unhappy with the way his act of chessed turned out, because he was doing it for himself. He was helping someone else to make himself feel good. Sometimes we do a good deed and we don't see the dividens but we will get schar (reward) for it.

(1) Rosen, February 3, 2008 10:33 AM

choosing to help or taken advantage of

It's really a personal choice whether we want to be a good sumaritan and help others, particularly since the sumaritan helping may take advantage of the help he receives - much like in trying to help groups of individuals with behavioral issues where they won't always change for the better given a particular program's ineffectiveness.

My advice would be if one were to help someone, then it is more legitamate if it comes in direct mail or legitimate organizations online - not someone who approaches you asking for help or money either on the streets or by door-to-door canvassing since it is too intrusive and gets in the way of things. Telephone calls can be intrusive as well, especially during dinner from different organizations asking for money or support. It's all about discretion and common sense on the sincerity of someone asking for help in a particular way.

See All Comments