„When one truly looks at the good side of each and every person, one c…”

When we look at the positive side of another, we see his positive side; if we adopt for ourselves the ability to see good—we will see good!

Rav Kook concludes with a verse from the book of Proverbs: 'A fool—his anger becomes known on that very day, but the shrewd one covers shame.' The fool—that is, the foolish person—shows his anger the moment he is angry; he immediately externalizes his rage. Such a one is called a fool because his loss from this is great.

And 'the shrewd one covers shame'—the wise person covers his nerves, his rage. He does not show it when he is angry—either he is angry quietly, or he goes out and is angry when he is alone. This wise person covers over the shame, over his embarrassment and sorrow, over his nerves. When he succeeds in doing this, he is 'arum'—that is, shrewd and wise.

Rav Kook brings this verse in order to say that although it may well be that it is not an absolute truth to look at a person only from the positive side, there is in this an immense wisdom and a great ability to bring the person before you to a more positive place, and to adopt for yourself a wiser view of life.

***

Good evening!

Feel free to look for the book 'Mishpetei HaRav Kook' at the stalls of 'Yedioth Sefarim' and 'Divrei Shir' during Book Week, as well as in select bookstores.