This is an important question facing the student leaders as they decide how to structure the Defeating Discrimination Instagram page. How should they consider the fact that the submissions contain little background information? Can an image or video be shared if it’s not possible to determine the full context of what is occurring?
These sources below will help shed light on these questions. As you read them, reflect on the ways in which they can be applied to our case.
(טו) לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֙וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָד֑וֹל בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃ (טז) לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (יז) לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃ (יח) לֹֽא־תִקֹּ֤ם וְלֹֽא־תִטֹּר֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃
15 You shall not perform injustice in judgement: do not favor the poor or show deference to the powerful; with righteousness shall you judge your kinsman. 16 Do not gossip among your people; do not stand by the blood of your fellow: I am God. 17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your kinsman, and you shall not bear a sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, and you shall not bear a grudge against your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am God.
-
Are the various mitzvot (commandments) listed in verses 15-18 related to one another? If so, how?
-
How do you understand “with righteousness shall you judge your kinsman” given its context?
-
Based on this passage, who would you say this obligation is directed towards?
ת"ר (ויקרא יט, טו) בצדק תשפוט עמיתך שלא יהא אחד יושב ואחד עומד אחד מדבר כל צרכו ואחד אומר לו קצר דבריך ד"א בצדק תשפוט עמיתך הוי דן את חבירך לכף זכות תני רב יוסף בצדק תשפוט עמיתך עם שאתך בתורה ובמצות השתדל לדונו יפה
The Sages taught: “with righteousness shall you judge your kinsman”—that there should not have a situation where one [litigant] sits and the other [litigant] stands; or that one not be allowed to speak all that is necessary and the other one be told to speak briefly.
Another interpretation: “With righteousness shall you judge your kinsman”—judge every person favorably.
Rav Yosef teaches: “with righteousness shall you judge your kinsman”—with regard to one who is with you in Torah and mitzvot, strive to judge them favorably.
הוי דן את חבירך לכף זכות - ולא בדין בעלי דינים הכתוב מדבר אלא ברואה חבירו עושה דבר שאתה יכול להכריעו לצד עבירה ולצד זכות הכריעו לזכות ואל תחשדהו בעבירה:
Judge every person favorably: The verse is not speaking about courtroom litigants, rather about one who sees their fellow doing something that can be interpreted negatively or positively. One should not suspect the person about performing a transgression.
-
Based on this passage, are there limits to when a person should strive to judge a person favorably?
-
How do you understand the teaching of Rav Yosef that the obligation to judge favorably applies to those “with you in Torah and mitzvot?”
-
Would the obligation to judge favorably apply to a stranger in the street? How about a classmate?
-
Would the obligation to judge favorably apply to a stranger in the street? How about a classmate?
(ו) יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְנִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:
Yehoshua ben Perahyah said: Make for yourself a teacher, and acquire for yourself a friend, and judge all people favorably.
והוי דן את כל האדם לכף זכות. ענינו כשיהיה אדם שלא תדע בו אם צדיק הוא אם רשע ותראהו שיעשה מעשה או יאמר דבר שאם תפרשהו על דרך אחת יהיה טוב ואם תפרשהו על דרך אחרת יהיה רע ,קח אותו על הטוב ולא תחשוב בו רע.
אבל אם יהיה האדם נודע שהוא צדיק מפורסם ובפעולות הטובות ונראה לו פועל שכל עניניו מורים שהוא פועל רע ואין אדם יכול להכריעו לטוב אלא בדוחק גדול ואפשר רחוק הוא ראוי שתקח אותו שהוא טוב אחר שיש שום צד אפשרות להיותו טוב ואין מותר לך לחשדו…
וכן כשיהיה רשע ויתפרסמו מעשיו ואחר כן ראינוהו שיעשה מעשה שכל ראיותיו מורות שהוא טוב ויש בו צד אפשרות רחוק לרע ראוי להשמר ממנו ושלא תאמן בו שהוא טוב אחר שיש בו אפשרות לרע ועל זה נאמר כי יחנן קולו אל תאמן בו וגו'
וכשיהי' בלתי ידוע והמעשה בלתי מכריע לא' משני הקצוות צריך בדרך החסידות שתדין לכף זכות איזה קצה שיהיה משני הקצוות.
Judge all people favorably: This situation refers to when you do not know whether the person is righteous or wicked, and you see them performing an action that can be interpreted for good or for bad. Take it for good and do not think bad about the person.
But if the person is widely known to be righteous and of good deeds; and an action is observed that by all appearances indicates that it is a bad deed, and a person can only determine it to be good with great stretching and as a distant possibility, it is fit that you [still] take it as good, since there is a possibility that it is good. It is not permissible for you to suspect the person…
Similarly, when a person is widely known to be wicked, and afterwards we see them performing an action that appears to be good, but there is a distant possibility that it is bad; it is fit to protect oneself from the person and not believe that it is good, since there is a possibility for the bad. About this it is stated, “When he entreats with his voice, do not trust him” (Proverbs 26:25).
And when the person is not known and the action they perform can be interpreted towards either side, one must judge the person piously towards the favorable side.
Rambam (Maimonides) is an acronym for Rabbi Moses ben Maimon who lived in Spain and Egypt (1135-1204). His most significant work is the Mishneh Torah, a comprehensive codification of Jewish law from the Talmud. In addition, Rambam wrote a commentary on the mishnah and philosophical works, such as The Guide of the Perplexed.
-
How would you apply Rambam’s explanation of the mishnah to the facts of our case?
(ט) וַתָּ֣קׇם חַנָּ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י אׇכְלָ֥ה בְשִׁלֹ֖ה וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁתֹ֑ה וְעֵלִ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֗ן יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכִּסֵּ֔א עַל־מְזוּזַ֖ת הֵיכַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃ (י) וְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה׃ (יא) וַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה ׀ בׇּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֤יו לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ (יב) וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃ (יג) וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵֽעָלָֽיִךְ׃ (טו) וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (טז) אַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃ (יז) וַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃ (יח) וַתֹּ֕אמֶר תִּמְצָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָֽאִשָּׁ֤ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ וַתֹּאכַ֔ל וּפָנֶ֥יהָ לֹא־הָֽיוּ־לָ֖הּ עֽוֹד׃
(9) After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose.—The priest Eli was sitting on the seat near the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.— (10) In her wretchedness, she prayed to the LORD, weeping all the while. (11) And she made this vow: “O LORD of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a male child, I will dedicate him to the LORD for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.” (12) As she kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. (13) Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. (14) Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up!” (15) And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to the LORD. (16) Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.” (17) “Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.” (18) She answered, “You are most kind to your handmaid.” So the woman left, and she ate, and was no longer downcast.
-
What is your reaction to this story? Do you think Hannah deserved to be judged unfavorably given the circumstances?
-
Why do you think Eli interjected in verse 14? Was he justified in doing so?
-
How might this passage help us understand the mitzvah to judge favorably?
אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: כַּמָּה הִלְכְתָא גִּבָּרָווֹתָא אִיכָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מֵהָנֵי קְרָאֵי דְחַנָּה…"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֵלִי עַד מָתַי תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין וְגוֹ'". אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן לָרוֹאֶה בַּחֲבֵרוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן, צָרִיךְ לְהוֹכִיחוֹ…
וַיַּעַן עֵלִי וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי לְשָׁלוֹם״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן לַחוֹשֵׁד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְפַיְּיסוֹ. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבָרְכוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתֵּן אֶת שֵׁלָתֵ."
Rav Hamnuna said: How many significant laws can be derived from these verses about Hannah?... From “And Eli said to her: How long will you remain drunk?” (I Shmuel 1:14); Rabbi Elazar said: From here we derive that one who sees their fellow doing something improper needs to rebuke them…
“Then go in peace”—Rabbi Elazar said: From here we derive that one who suspects their fellow about something they have not done, must appease them. Not only this, but they need to bless them, as it says: “May the God of Israel grant you what you have asked.”
- Is it clear from the passage in Shmuel that Eli is correct to rebuke Hannah? How so?
- Rabbi Elazar says that one who falsely suspects someone must then offer them a blessing. Do you think this is sufficient to make up for the damage caused by the false accusation? Why or why not?
- After learning these texts, how would you articulate the mitzvah to judge favorably? Are there limitations to this mitzvah?
- Returning to our case, how can these texts inform whether Instagram call-outs are justified?