Thou shalt forgive and forget!!! It once again that time of the year where Jews send close friends email’s and facebook messages; asking those friends to forgive them. This process is usually done by sending a line like; “If I have hurt you in any way, than please forgive me”, the friend is now obligated to return the message by writing; “Of course you are forgiven, if I personally have done anything to you, than please forgive me too”. The even less meaningful version of this “tradition” is the general facebook message saying: “Dear friends, if I have hurt you in any way, than please forgive me” An orthodox Jew is expected and obligated to forgive and forget when a person sincerely asks them for forgiveness. Personally I don’t have a problem with that, nor do I have a problem apologizing for any wrongs that I have done. But I do believe the word sincerely is of the essence here. So this year, I have and will answer all of your emails by mentioning the thing you actually did do that has hurt me in the past. I’ve asked you if you remembered the incident and if this is what it was that you wanted to be forgiven for. Four of you I have invited for coffee because the list in kinda long. Out of all those emails only two people responded halagicly correct by saying; “Yes it was, I am truly sorry, I understand it had hurt you and it won’t happen again” Now that is a true apology that obligates us halagicly to forgive. It’s fair to mention that the real apologies did not come from orthodox Jews. Liberal/reform/conservative/conservadox etc…Jews are taught by their rabbi’s what the importance of upholding sincere morals is. They are taught to treat each other and other with respect; which is to my personal believes the highest ideal one can strife for. Orthodox Jews should take a lesson from that, or else to my personal opinion we are no better than סדום ועמורה A mitsvah from men to men always lies above that from men to G-D. Think hard and think far back; how have you wronged some-one ? Especially to those who stand further away from orthodox Judaism, because what you have done to them may lead/have lead them to stand even further away. Shana tovah; to a year of bridges bringing all Jews closer together.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:48:21 +0000
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