It is written, “With righteousness shall you judge your fellow”
[Acharei/ Kedoshim 19:15]
The Sages interpret this to mean, “Judge your fellow favorably” [Shevuot
30b]. How can we apparently lie to ourselves by judging people
favorably in every case, when in certain cases we can see them doing
the very opposite of something favorable? What is the meaning of this
mitzvah in that case? The Sages have said, “Any man who is insolent
will in the end stumble into sin” [Taanith 7b]. This means that shame
serves as a barrier and an obstacle to sin. Once a person had breached
the barriers of modesty and shame, there is nothing to prevent him from
sinning, as it is written: “It is a good sign if a man is shamefaced. …
No man who experiences shame will easily sin” [Nedarim 20a].
The
same applies to a person’s influence on others. The first one who sins
completely breaches the barriers of shame. The one who follows him
does not require as much insolence to sin, and the third person needs
even less, once these barriers have been broken down. This is why the
sin of desecrating Hashem’s Name is so grave. A person who openly
sins diminishes the intensity of the fear and shame that are engraved
in man with regards to committing a sin, thereby prompting others to
sin as well.
We can now understand how the advice given to us by the Sages, to
judge others favorably, is designed to help us. It is meant to ensure that
the barriers of shame are not breached within our own hearts, for once
we are certain that everyone is righteous, how could we dare to be the
first ones to sin? However if a person tries to find fault with everyone,
he will be more likely to sin at a time of weakness.
Excellent article. I like when perspectives are given step by step because it's easier to visualize the transition from mitzah to mitzah or aveira to aveira etc....
ReplyDeleteIf given over only from don't do this and you won't end up in opposite end of the spectrum from where you should be is too difficult to achieve for many of us wanting to change habits.
Inch by inch, step by step helps one to see and imagine and place oneself on the spectrum seeing their own past(or present) place as a point of reference.