(יב) הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה:
(12) Hillel and Shammai received [the oral tradition] from them. Hillel used to say: be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah.
(יז) כָּל מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, אֵין סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא מַחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁהִיא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, זוֹ מַחֲלֹקֶת קֹרַח וְכָל עֲדָתוֹ:
(17) Every dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, will in the end endure; But one that is not for the sake of Heaven, will not endure. Which is the controversy that is for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Hillel and Shammai. And which is the controversy that is not for the sake of Heaven? Such was the controversy of Korah and all his congregation.
likutei etzot disagreements, r' nachman
[ב]. צָרִיךְ לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל תָּמִיד אַחַר כָּל זְכוּת וְדָבָר טוֹב שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִמְצֹא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָדוּן אֶת כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת, אֲפִלּוּ הַחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו וְהַמְבַזִּין אוֹתוֹ, וַאֲזַי יִהְיֶה נִצּוֹל תָּמִיד מִמַּחֲלֹקֶת. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה עוֹשֶׂה כֶּתֶר יָקָר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכַמָּה מִינֵי אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת: (לק"א סי' ו' בסוף)
You should always make every effort to search out whatever merit and goodness you can find within the Jewish people. Judge everyone in the scale of merit, even those who oppose you and treat you disrespectfully. If you do this you will never be troubled by opposition and arguments. When you seek out the merit of your fellow Jew, you make a precious crown for God studded with beautiful gems (6).
Likutei etzot 25
[כה]. עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ חֶרְפָּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מֵשִׁיב וְעוֹשֶׂה זֹאת מֵאַהֲבָה, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַכְעִיס אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ יוֹתֵר עַל־יְדֵי הַשְּׁתִיקָה, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה דּוֹחֶה כָּל הַקְּלִפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִתְאַחֲזוּ בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה: (לק"א סי' פ"ב)
One who restrains his impulse to take part in disputes will be worthy of being quoted by name for his legal rulings. After his passing he will dwell in both worlds, the World to Come and this world, where his name will still be mentioned. It will be as if he is not dead at all (145)
The whole world is filled with quarreling. Nation disputes against nation. Every city has its factions. Each household is locked in arguments with the neighbors. Within the household the husband argues with his wife, with the children and the servants. And so on and so on. Nobody thinks about what the ultimate goal of the world is. Every day man dies — because the day that has passed will never come back, and each day he draws closer to the day of his death. How can he waste his time on arguments? Anyone who has any sense should understand this and win long life for himself. Let him not waste his life on quarrels, big or small. He should control himself, hold his anger in check and live peacefully with everybody (Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom 77).
The Place Where We Are Right by Yehuda Amichai
From the place where we are right
Flowers will never grow
In the spring.
The place where we are right
Is hard and trampled
Like a yard.
But doubts and loves
Dig up the world
Like a mole, a plow.
And a whisper will be heard in the place
Where the ruined House once stood.