A Good Eye
„And let him not look at how his fellow... whose nature is other and different, conducts himself in a different manner.”From Pinkas Yafo, 49
The Rav brings what is said in the Talmud: "I am a creature and my fellow is a creature; my work is in the city and his work is in the field... just as he does not presume to do my work, so I do not presume to do his work," and he explains the deep insight that we must understand when we look at others. They are not us! We must build ourselves inwardly, and not look outward with criticism, for when we see the other, we draw conclusions about ourselves and criticize him according to what we ourselves are. And this is the meaning of "Do not judge a person until you reach his place" – in order to level criticism at another, we would need to be him... And of course the matter is different when it concerns education or danger.
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From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.