At the Shabbat Assembly for Parshat Ki Tavo we discussed the idea of giving people the benefit of the doubt. A student in one of the class in answering the teachers question "What does the sound of the shofar remind us?" One student said it reminds him of "apple and honey", another student said it reminds him of the "white covering to the Aron Kodesh and the Shulchan". The last student said it reminds me of what my mothers told me, that at this time of year we need to be "extra good".
That is actually the Halacha. At this time of year Hashem tells us do things a little better than you have been doing. Give people the benefit of the doubt more.
That is actually the Halacha. At this time of year Hashem tells us do things a little better than you have been doing. Give people the benefit of the doubt more.
I shared with the students my personal story from a few weeks ago. When I was driving to Yavneh one day, the car behind me starting honking their horn and I did not know what I was doing wrong. So I went a little faster. Still honking from behind. I went a little slower (ok a lot slower) and still honking. I was getting very annoyed at this driver, what was wrong with him.!!
I move over the far right lane to allow him to pass. He drove past me and slowed to talk to me through the window. Now I was nervous. He said something about my trunk??. When I pulled into Yavneh a few minutes later I went to check and I saw that my trunk was ajar and a strap was hanging out. He was just trying to help me.
I told the students that situation like this happen daily to each of us. It could happen at school, at home, or at a friends house. It could happen with your brother, sister, your parents, your friends and your teachers. We need to remember to give everyone the benefit of the doubt דן לכף זכות. Especially during the days of Elul and leading up to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
We also watched the great video from Aish Hatorah about How Beautiful Rosh Hashana can be.
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