Judging Favorably – Even the Good Ones

Torah and Democracy

The concept of "Democracy First!" is becoming more extreme in Israel, and especially among left-wingers. The gaps between this extreme approach and the Torah view are widening - cause for great concern among those who wish to preserve the nation's unity. How can such unity be maintained in the face of these widening gaps?

When Faith is Tested

The loss of tzaddikim has an effect on the world. "Save, O Lord - for the pious are gone; for the faithful have vanished from among men" (Psalms 12,2). That is to say, when a righteous man passes away, the world suffers a loss of emuna and trust. Emuna diminishes because tzaddikim help ensure that it remains strong, and when they leave, it becomes weaker. Rav Tzvi Yehuda was a great man of emuna, and his loss left a great vacuum of emuna in the world.

Our Generation's "Teshuva From Love"

Why will this special Messianic generation, of all generations, be in such a sorry spiritual and material state? Logically when Israel improves its ways, they will be worthy of Redemption – so why will it actually be a period of spiritual crisis and other troubles?

Fear of Sin - Punishment and Loftiness

Ideally, a person should distance himself from sin due to God's loftiness. How can man, God's own handiwork, even consider acting in opposition to the will of his Creator? Such fear, fear of God's loftiness, befits wise and enlightened individuals.

Fear of Sin - Punishment and Loftiness

Ideally, a person should distance himself from sin due to God's loftiness. How can man, God's own handiwork, even consider acting in opposition to the will of his Creator? Such fear, fear of God's loftiness, befits wise and enlightened individuals.

51. Sanctity

Sanctity is the highest rung on the ladder of desired character traits: Torah leads to caution, caution to alacrity, alacrity to cleanliness, cleanliness to abstinence, abstinence to purity, purity to piety, piety to humility, to fear of sin, to sanctity.

49. The Components of Humility

A person should hate possessing authority but not avoid positions of authority. One should accept such positions with a desire to serve the public, not to control the public. Hence the sages tell us to “love labor and hate authority.”

48. Acquiring Humility

Acquiring humility is one of the peaks in the development of a person's personality, for it covers all aspects of an individual's behavior. If one truly wishes to acquire humility, he must train himself to speak humbly, walk humbly, and sit humbly.

47. The Distinction of Humility

The more talent and capacity a humble person possesses, the more humble he becomes. For example, Moses, the greatest of the great, was also the humblest of the humble: "And the man Moses was more humble than any other person on the face of the earth".

46. Humble and Happy

It is important to realize that a humble person is not miserable and unhappy. Neither is a conceited person happy and blissful. To the contrary, it is humility that brings happiness and bliss, while pride leads a person to misery and discontent.

45. Conceit and Divine Service

God said to Israel: I treasure you, for even as I bestow greatness upon you, you humble yourselves before me. Abraham said, "I am but earth and dust." Moses and Aaron said "What are we worth?" And King David said "I am not a man - I am but a worm."

44. Tales of the Sages

Reading stories about the virtuous deeds of great rabbis is a most effective way to nurture desirable character traits. Parents who wish to instill in their children a love for the Torah should give them books on the lives of the sages of Israel.

43. Cautiously Stringent

Pious individuals follow the more stringent rulings and sway clear of all doubt. However, it is precisely here that a truly pious person must be on guard. He must be careful that his stringent practices do not lead him to belittle the lenient rabbis.

42. Fitting Admonition

When it comes to pious additions to the commandments, practices which are likely to cause ordinary people to laugh, and thus transgress, it is certainly more proper and pious to refrain from them altogether, for these practices are not obligatory.

41. Not Overly Pious

: Pious behavior can be misleading. Though a certain act may appear virtuous at first glance, its ramifications may really be very undesirable. A person must weigh his actions carefully – not to be overly pious, yet not to refrain from piety altogether.

40. The Lofty Service of the Pious

True, the behavior of a pious person is thoroughly virtuous and refined, yet his real greatness lies in the fact that his intentions are entirely altruistic; a pious person is concerned with the welfare of the whole generation, the entire nation.

39. For the Sake of God's Honor

While performing any religious act a person must intend to bring pleasure and honor to God. He must pray for Israel's redemption and the restoration of the Holy Temple, for these matters bring pleasure to God and vest him with the most supreme honor.

38. Love and Devotion to God

One who loves God cannot bear the desecration of His name, as Solomon says (Proverbs 28:7), "The deserters of Torah will praise the wicked and the observers of Torah will rebuke them," and David says (Psalms 97:10), "Those who love God hate evil."

37. Piety and the Love of God

One who truly loves the Almighty knows how to accept hardships lovingly, with an understanding that everything God does is for the best, even hardships. Not only are they for his own good, they constitute a reason for loving the Almighty even more.