It's vital that we all improve our relationships with others during the Three Weeks, for intramural hate caused the destruction of our Holy Temple. To eradicate intramural hate, we must strengthen our awareness of verbal abuse, avoiding causing anguish to another person at all costs.
There are 2 types of mitzvas in the Torah – between man and Hashem (Shabbat, tefillin, kashrut, to name a few), and between man and fellow man (dealing fairly in commerce, paying a worker on time, loving our fellow human, etc.). This time of year, during the Three Weeks, it’s especially important to discuss the mitzvas between man and fellow man in general, and specifically about the severity of insulting or causing anguish to one's fellow human.
Many people bring grief to their fellow human without batting an eyelash. But, most people are unaware that causing pain or grief to another person, not only by verbal insult but even with a mere gesture of the body, is a severe transgression of Torah, even worse than eating something unkosher. The reason is that the teshuva for doing something against Hashem is relatively simple, and Hashem is always forgiving. But, when a person harms his fellow man, he must now placate his fellow man in addition to doing teshuva to Hashem. That’s no simple task.
In the Book of Leviticus, 25:17, the Torah commands, "You shall not bring grief to your neighbor." Our sages learn from this passage that the Torah expressly forbids all forms of causing embarrassment, sadness, and humiliation to our fellow human, again, not only by word of mouth, but by a mere gesture. In other words, if your rabbi is making a sermon and you don't like what he says, and you react by turning up your nose at him or by dismissing his words with a wave of your hand, you've just committed a severe transgression of Torah. This mitzvah, that's called in Hebrew "Issur Onaat Devarim" or the "prohibition of causing grief to another person" is probably the most violated mitzvah in the Torah, which has a dangerous negative backlash on the violator. Let me give you an example – the Gemara teaches that if a husband causes his wife to shed even one tear, he's subject to the death penalty. The transgression of causing grief to another person is very serious...
Read more about the Dangers of Verbal Abuse in this week's Breslev Israel web magazine.
Elements from without and within seem to be threatening continued Jewish presence in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem. But, directing anger and frustration at the President of the United States or at the Prime Minister of Israel is just as silly as the jungle tribesmen trying to move The Iron Elephant.
Anyone that's not Including Hashem is bound to be suffering in life. Here's what it means to be Living with Hashem.
The Glowing Blue Door is the exciting second part of Light at the end of the Cave.
Nobody said that conversion is easy, as we see in The Challenges of Conversion.
Baalei Teshuva? Think of them as Copilots...
The Three Weeks and associated calamity doesn't change our status as The Treasured People.
Let's keep our priorities in The Right Order.
Part 13 of Perek Shira for kids is The Song of the Sea Creatures.
Here's wishing you a wonderful week!
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