Another year has passed. We were confronted once again with the draining and sad experience of the three weeks and the nine days leading up to Tisha B’Av. We recalled the destructions of both Temples and the subsequent calamities that befell the Jewish people over the years. We updated these to include the tragedies that are occurring the world over – our people are being kidnapped and tortured by Arab terrorists who have no respect for the value and importance of human life. We are faced with constant criticism by most nations in the world, calling our beloved country an Apartheid state; and perhaps the most hurtful of all, when our own people, our fellow Jews lack the understanding – they just don’t get it – and they criticize our people; our land; and side with the enemy bent on Jewish destruction.
Things have not really changed in the last years. Theodore Herzl was wrong when he posited the idea that antisemitism will decrease if we have our own land. Today, Israel, the “crowning light” of our people, despite its grandeur and beauty and its serving as the only democratic country in a sea of Arab extremists and murderers, is still the scapegoat and is still blamed for all the woes of our society.
Many reasons have been advanced as to why these things happen to our people. Some say that it is because of sinat chinam, blind hatred, between one Jew and the next. Our Rabbis continually preach that we must change our views. We need to substitute ahavat chinam, unlimited love, instead of sinat chinam blind hatred, between Jews.
In answer to their calls there has arisen a plethora of organizations that are distinctively involved in improving the plight of our fellow Jews. Organizations and gemachs abound in our Jewish communities! So where is the geulah? Where is the redemption? Why must we yearly feel with heavy hearts as if there is a black cloud upon our heads – and there is no change? Are we really going to get better than we are now?
There is no question in my mind that we as a nation have improved in becoming more sensitized to the plight of our Jewish impoverished and in general to providing chesed, kindness, to people in need. Here in Israel, agencies abound offering assistance for the needy and the aged, the handicapped and those who are suffering from this terrible war. We display remarkable achdut, unity, in times of crises. It is heartwarming to see the outpouring of love and support by Jews the world over to the terrible calamity on October 7.
But there is something more that is wholly missing!
Despite all our chesed; despite all our efforts to care for our people, we lack the basic trait of respecting all people and giving everyone the benefit of doubt in our judgments. We are quick to judge people and to arrive at conclusions. No one has the right to judge another person! There is only one judge in this world! And only Almighty G-d has the right to pass judgment on anyone!
In the Ethics of our Fathers, it states “hvei dan et kol Adam lekaf zchut,” one must judge all men for better. Why does the Mishna use the word kol, all? The word kol seems superfluous.
I believe that our Rabbis are trying to impart the valuable lesson that when interacting with people we must consider the entire person. Who is this person? What has he/she done during their entire lives? What challenges do they face daily? What kind of difficult pressures do they face daily, whether in their immediate family or in their own physical or mental health? Have they, during their lifetimes, achieved major accomplishments? Have they risked their lives to save people? Have they suffered tragically in the hands of our oppressors? Have they given substantial amounts of money or time for charitable causes?
And because we can never know this, we have no right to pass judgment on anyone. Only G-d has that right!
I believe that the true definition of sinat chinam is to pre-judge a person and to destroy the worth of an individual with that judgment, without even knowing who they really are! We all have the right to disagree with the views of another – but we don’t have the right to hate a fellow Jew – we don’t have the right to pass judgment on a person based on the level of his/her personal religious observance – we don’t have the right to exclude people based on our biased and prejudicial impressions of another! We don’t have the right to act as G-d and judge anyone!
This is what sinat chinam is really about. And in this area, we are still in need. We are still quick to judge! We are still infighting one with the other. We still jump to conclusions about our fellow Jews.
If we want to bring the geulah, then we need to focus on giving people the benefit of doubt and looking for the zechut, the merit, that every Jew has within them and rightfully deserves.
