**The Power of Judging Favorably**

In our Torah study, we come across a fascinating story about a man named Rabbak, who worked for a wealthy merchant named Re'elz. For three years, Rabbak dedicated himself to his work, leaving behind his family and wife to focus on serving his employer. After completing his three-year term, Rabbak approached Re'elz to receive his wages.

Re'elz was taken aback by Rabbak's request for payment, as he claimed that he could not afford to pay him with the promised amounts. Rabbak was patient and understanding, assuming that Re'elz might be facing financial difficulties or having bad business dealings. He offered no judgment, nor did he express any dissatisfaction with his employer. Instead, he chose to judge Re'elz favorably, assuming that everything he said about not being able to pay him was true.

Two weeks later, after Sukkot, Rabbak received a surprise visit from Re'elz. The merchant appeared with dozens of donkeys and cattle, loaded with the finest produce and embroidered linens, along with an envelope filled with Rabbak's wages. He told Rabbak that he had assumed all sorts of things about him during their time working together, but that everything he said was actually true.

This story teaches us a powerful lesson about judging others favorably. So many times in our lives, we find ourselves tempted to judge someone based on what we see or hear, without giving them the benefit of the doubt. We might assume that they are lazy, dishonest, or untrustworthy, simply because of their appearance or behavior.

**The Lesson of Rabbak and Re'elz**

As we reflect on this story, we realize that our judgments about others can be incredibly inaccurate. We often see people through a narrow lens, without considering the complexities of their lives or the difficulties they may face. Rabbak's approach to judging Re'elz was remarkable – he chose not to make assumptions or jump to conclusions, even when faced with seemingly impossible circumstances.

This lesson is especially relevant in our own lives. How many times have we judged others based on incomplete information or superficial appearances? Have we assumed that someone who appears to be lazy is actually struggling financially, or that a person who seems distant or aloof is simply being unfriendly?

By adopting Rabbak's approach, we can begin to see people in a new light. We can assume the best about others, rather than the worst. This mindset shift can lead to deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, as we learn to appreciate the complexities of those around us.

**Spiritual Homework**

This week, our spiritual homework is to practice judging others favorably. We will reflect on our own judgments and biases, and strive to approach others with empathy and understanding. We will ask ourselves: What do I really know about this person? Is there more to their story than what I can see or hear?

As we work on this project, we will remember the powerful words of Hashem, who promises to judge us favorably if we demonstrate kindness and compassion towards others. By choosing to judge others favorably, we are not only doing a mitzvah – a good deed – but also working to improve ourselves and our relationships with others.

May we all take heed of this incredible message, and may it inspire us to approach the world with more empathy, understanding, and kindness. May our actions be guided by the wisdom of Rabbak and Re'elz, who taught us that judging others favorably is a fundamental aspect of living a life of kindness and compassion.

**Conclusion**

As we conclude our Torah study for this week, we are reminded of the profound impact that our judgments can have on ourselves and those around us. By choosing to judge others favorably, we can create a more harmonious and supportive community, where everyone is seen as a beloved child of Hashem. May we all strive to emulate Rabbak's remarkable approach to judging Re'elz, and may it inspire us to live our lives with greater kindness, compassion, and understanding. Shabbat shalom!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome back to another episode of Shabbat M this week's paraa is par in the very beginning of the para there are five words that for me make the entire par gives me the lesson that I need to learn only from these five words which basically means judge your people favorably now I know that it's very hard to do that especially when you see with your own eyes somebody doing something that looks so wrong or you hear a really juicy piece of lashen hara and it's so hard for you to judge that person favorably but right now we are in the days of el and we are slowly approaching y r where is the Y where every single one of us will be judged and from this para of we're taught that if we can learn to judge our fellow Jew favorably then bz hasem Hashem on y will judge us favorably probably one of the most famous most popular stories of being Dan judging someone favorably comes from RAB aiva but this story takes place way before RAB AA became the Torah scholar that he became at the end of his life RAB yaka was working for a very very wealthy man named RAB elzar and this reab elzar was phenomenally wealthy had so much property so much land cattle donkeys a spectacular home rabaka worked for elazar for three years so he left his wife and children and he decided he's going to work as the employee of this very wealthy man and finally the three years were up rabaka goes Arab yur to receive his wages from reelz when raka approaches him and now he sitting in this spectacular palace with t countless cattle donkeys cows produced as far as I can see Linens with gold embroidered in them and raka goes to request his wage for 3 years and R says I'm sorry I don't have to give you and without even hesitating RAB AKA says okay so can you pay me with land and rizar says no I'm sorry I can't pay you with land and riaa said okay can you pay me with cattle nope not going to pay with cattle either all right how about produce can you pay me with produce nope not even produce fine what about your Linens can you pay me with pillows and blankets and rezer said nope can't pay with that either I have nothing to give you I'm going be AA quietly backed up and went back to his home arev yur after having worked for this man for 3 years he goes back home continues to live his life with no questions two weeks later after sukot there's a knock on the door it's reeler and he appears with dozens of donkeys and cattle loaded with the finest produce the finest embroidered Linens and an envelope filled with his wages and he says to aaka what did did you think of me when I told you I can't pay you after you worked for me as an employee for 3 years buta said I mean I just assumed you don't have the money to get me maybe you had a bad business deal and you had all your money invested in something and you lost your money I don't know and then he said okay so that's the money part but what about the land you see with your own eyes I have all this land what did you think of me when I said I can't pay you with land he said I don't know I assumed you're just renting the space okay and what about what about the cattle so I don't know I figured you have some arrangement with other people and they're not really owned by you fine and the produce what did you think when I said I can't pay you with produce he said I figured they're forbidden to eat okay what about when I told you I cannot even pay you with pillows and blankets and linens so I figured you probably donated it to the beton mikash then elzar started screaming yes I swear I swear it is exactly as you said everything you said is true every single thing that you assumed is 100% factual and that is when rabaka received everything he was due and then some from this story we learned such a powerful life lesson so many times in our lives we really feel like we could so easily judge a person based on what we see what we hear what we think we know but what we going to what we're going to work on this week as our spiritual homework for this week's para we are going to judge our fellow Jew favorably we're going to remember the story of reaka and rebelar and we are not going to judge the book by its cover we're going to assume everything is as farfetched as it seems we're going to show Hashem I'm going to judge this person favorably please Hashem you judge me favorably it's that simple may we all take heed of this incredible message and may we really really succeed in judging one another favorably because I think that that also falls under the category of of being the sin that put us in the G in the first place so homework this week what you see what you hear what you think you know do not believe it judge favorably and then tell Hashem hasem in the that I am doing that you have mercy on me and you judge me favorably this R and may it be a for all of us may we all be signed and sealed into the sweetest most beautiful most magnificent year thus far shabbat shalomwelcome back to another episode of Shabbat M this week's paraa is par in the very beginning of the para there are five words that for me make the entire par gives me the lesson that I need to learn only from these five words which basically means judge your people favorably now I know that it's very hard to do that especially when you see with your own eyes somebody doing something that looks so wrong or you hear a really juicy piece of lashen hara and it's so hard for you to judge that person favorably but right now we are in the days of el and we are slowly approaching y r where is the Y where every single one of us will be judged and from this para of we're taught that if we can learn to judge our fellow Jew favorably then bz hasem Hashem on y will judge us favorably probably one of the most famous most popular stories of being Dan judging someone favorably comes from RAB aiva but this story takes place way before RAB AA became the Torah scholar that he became at the end of his life RAB yaka was working for a very very wealthy man named RAB elzar and this reab elzar was phenomenally wealthy had so much property so much land cattle donkeys a spectacular home rabaka worked for elazar for three years so he left his wife and children and he decided he's going to work as the employee of this very wealthy man and finally the three years were up rabaka goes Arab yur to receive his wages from reelz when raka approaches him and now he sitting in this spectacular palace with t countless cattle donkeys cows produced as far as I can see Linens with gold embroidered in them and raka goes to request his wage for 3 years and R says I'm sorry I don't have to give you and without even hesitating RAB AKA says okay so can you pay me with land and rizar says no I'm sorry I can't pay you with land and riaa said okay can you pay me with cattle nope not going to pay with cattle either all right how about produce can you pay me with produce nope not even produce fine what about your Linens can you pay me with pillows and blankets and rezer said nope can't pay with that either I have nothing to give you I'm going be AA quietly backed up and went back to his home arev yur after having worked for this man for 3 years he goes back home continues to live his life with no questions two weeks later after sukot there's a knock on the door it's reeler and he appears with dozens of donkeys and cattle loaded with the finest produce the finest embroidered Linens and an envelope filled with his wages and he says to aaka what did did you think of me when I told you I can't pay you after you worked for me as an employee for 3 years buta said I mean I just assumed you don't have the money to get me maybe you had a bad business deal and you had all your money invested in something and you lost your money I don't know and then he said okay so that's the money part but what about the land you see with your own eyes I have all this land what did you think of me when I said I can't pay you with land he said I don't know I assumed you're just renting the space okay and what about what about the cattle so I don't know I figured you have some arrangement with other people and they're not really owned by you fine and the produce what did you think when I said I can't pay you with produce he said I figured they're forbidden to eat okay what about when I told you I cannot even pay you with pillows and blankets and linens so I figured you probably donated it to the beton mikash then elzar started screaming yes I swear I swear it is exactly as you said everything you said is true every single thing that you assumed is 100% factual and that is when rabaka received everything he was due and then some from this story we learned such a powerful life lesson so many times in our lives we really feel like we could so easily judge a person based on what we see what we hear what we think we know but what we going to what we're going to work on this week as our spiritual homework for this week's para we are going to judge our fellow Jew favorably we're going to remember the story of reaka and rebelar and we are not going to judge the book by its cover we're going to assume everything is as farfetched as it seems we're going to show Hashem I'm going to judge this person favorably please Hashem you judge me favorably it's that simple may we all take heed of this incredible message and may we really really succeed in judging one another favorably because I think that that also falls under the category of of being the sin that put us in the G in the first place so homework this week what you see what you hear what you think you know do not believe it judge favorably and then tell Hashem hasem in the that I am doing that you have mercy on me and you judge me favorably this R and may it be a for all of us may we all be signed and sealed into the sweetest most beautiful most magnificent year thus far shabbat shalom\n"