"Ben Azai
said: Do not disgrace another person and do not denounce any statement.
For there is no person that doesn’t have his hour, nor there is no
statement that doesn’t have its place."
The axiomatic principle
of the Torah is, "Love your fellow man, like you love yourself." In
this light, love for others is the virtue that supports the entire
Torah and its fulfillment. When we conduct our interpersonal
relationships with love, we uphold the essence of the Torah.
Conversely,
if we "disgrace another person" we loosen the foundation of the Torah.
That is, if we view others as less worthy than ourselves, we have lost
the path of loving kindness, illuminated by Avraham Avinu.
In
order to consistently view our friends in a positive light, we should
remind ourselves, that "there is not a person that does not have his
hour." Meaning, we should love and honor everyone, because every person
has unique, beautiful, and precious qualities.
Similarly, if
one of our colleagues makes a true point, we should not discount it on
a technicality. Rather, we should recognize the truth of his words and
find a source to validate his statement.
May we always admire
others and respect their ideas. As a result, we will grasp the essence
of the Torah - love and honor of our fellow man.
[Based on the commentary of the Chidah to Pirkei Avot]
TODAY: Walk in the footsteps of Avraham Avinu and love and respect every person.
Important Numbers
