We speak and learn so much about religion, values, prayer and ritual, yet forget the important aspects of faith. To live by the standards established in the holy words of the T’NaCh (Scriptures). We should look upon all around us favorably and give them the benefit of the doubt.
The rabbis taught about two thousand years ago: “In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor… with justice you shall judge your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:15.) When you see a person doing what appears to be wrong, take a favorable view of his action.” (Shevu’os 30a)
Judging others favorably not only fulfills a religious requirement, it provides a number of benefits.
The Rambam (Rabbi Moses Maimonides c. 1135 – 1204) wrote a book which systematically discusses the 613 commandments of the Torah (Scriptures) in which he “stated that each person is required to judge others favorably …promotes peace and friendship and therefore, the purpose of this mitzvah (the mitzvah to judge righteously) is to improve society with a sense of righteousness and provide peace by removing suspicion of one to another. (Sefer HaChinuch no. 235)
The Mishna in Pirkei Avos directs that “One should judge all people favorably.” (Avos 1:6) Rabbeinu Yonah (d. 1263), in his commentary to Avos 1 :6, writes that we should assume that they realize their mistakes and are working on trying to improve themselves. This concept is often associated with the prohibition against accepting evil speech and gossip.
Once upon a time a religious man ransomed a beautiful woman from prison, and when they came to the inn in the evening, he put the young woman to sleep at the foot of his bed. In the morning he immersed himself in the purifying waters, and then he went to teach his students.
While he was teaching them he asked his students, “Did you suspect me of anything last night when you saw the young maiden lying at the foot of my bed?”
They answered, “We did not suspect you of anything; we thought that you put her near you because you had among your students one whom you did not know, and you would not let her sleep in a separate room for fear that harm might come to her.”
Then the religious man asked, “Why did you think I went in the morning and immersed in the purifying waters?”
“What else do you believe we could have thought,” replied his students, “except that probably on the way you had touched something unclean which made it necessary for you to immerse in the purifying waters?”
Then he said, “I swear that it was exactly as you thought. And as for you–as you judged me on the scale of merit, so may He who is everywhere judge you on the scale of merit
Based on B. Shabbos 127b and Ma’asah Book #21
We learn that Heaven never passes a decree upon a person before the person has himself passed judgment. If a person were asked outright what punishment he deserved for a particular sin, he would deny that he deserved any punishment at all. So instead, a person is shown another person sinning in the same way and is asked, somehow, to comment on the other’s action. Whatever he says the other deserves, then becomes his own punishment.
We find this happening with King David, who was visited by Nasan the Prophet. Nasan told him the parable of the poor man who had only one lamb. Only when King David became inflamed over the injustice did Nasan suddenly accuse him, telling David, “You are that man.” But David had already passed his own judgment. (II Samuel 12: 1-5)
This is why our Sages urged us to judge others favorably. When a person judges others in a good light, he is, in effect, passing a favorable judgment on himself!
We find this idea expressed in Psalms as well. “Deliver me from all my sins; do not make me a disgrace before the degenerate” (Psalm 39:9). King David asked Hashem to keep him from censuring unworthy people, lest he inadvertently pass judgment on himself.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
Click here for more storytelling resources
Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)
