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Daily Chizuk #1262
Parnasa / Money
The Nature of Man: Comfort and Mourning in Shemini
THE POWER OF SHALOM
The power of forgiving is great. The more difficult it is to do, the greater the merit the person gets for doing it. When we forgive others, Hashem forgives us. A person who has been wronged or humiliated might say to himself, "How is it possible for me to forgive someone who hurt me so badly?" The person may have suffered for days, weeks or even years, as a result of what someone else did to him. It's a very difficult feat to accomplish, but our Rabbis have suggested ways to go about doing it. One approach is to talk to Hashem first, to beg Him to give the strength and ability to forgive. A person could say, "Hashem, you know how much pain I have suffered. You know how difficult it is for me to forgive. I know everything comes from You, and I am supposed to look at the wrongdoer as a puppet, but I am just flesh and blood, and it is extremely hard for me. Please help me do it in Your honor." A person could also take a pen and paper and write, "L'shem yichud..." about the fact that he is going to forgive, and then write it should be l'ilui nishmat a loved one, or in zechut for someone else and that it should atone for all the person's sins, whether during this lifetime or a previous one. The greatest gain that a person will get is that he will be doing the ratzon Hashem. And of course, there will also be side benefits that come along with it.
It is extremely difficult to forgive, or to apologize, but it is well worth it.
The power of forgiving is great. The more difficult it is to do, the greater the merit the person gets for doing it. When we forgive others, Hashem forgives us. A person who has been wronged or humiliated might say to himself, "How is it possible for me to forgive someone who hurt me so badly?" The person may have suffered for days, weeks or even years, as a result of what someone else did to him. It's a very difficult feat to accomplish, but our Rabbis have suggested ways to go about doing it. One approach is to talk to Hashem first, to beg Him to give the strength and ability to forgive. A person could say, "Hashem, you know how much pain I have suffered. You know how difficult it is for me to forgive. I know everything comes from You, and I am supposed to look at the wrongdoer as a puppet, but I am just flesh and blood, and it is extremely hard for me. Please help me do it in Your honor." A person could also take a pen and paper and write, "L'shem yichud..." about the fact that he is going to forgive, and then write it should be l'ilui nishmat a loved one, or in zechut for someone else and that it should atone for all the person's sins, whether during this lifetime or a previous one. The greatest gain that a person will get is that he will be doing the ratzon Hashem. And of course, there will also be side benefits that come along with it.
It is extremely difficult to forgive, or to apologize, but it is well worth it.
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