This week’s reading begins the Book of Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Five Books of Moses. Moses begins his final monologue, five weeks before his passing. He recounts the story of the Israelite’s travel through the desert, placing emphasis on, and rebuking them for, the story of the spies. He describes Israel’s conquest of the Emorites and the Bashanites.
In these early chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses is rehearsing the history of the Israelites. In the opening lines of the book, the Torah tells us that “These are the words which Moses spoke to all of Israel…” The Torah then relates how Moses reminded the people of their various failings throughout the years in the desert. The Torah specifically relates that he spoke of these failings to all of Israel. Let’s read an example from the first chapter:
Deu 1:22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’
Deu 1:23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe.
Deu 1:24 And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out.
Deu 1:25 And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.’
Deu 1:26 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God.
When Moses spoke to God, on the other hand, he related only the positive traits and virtues of the people. He argued on their behalf, no matter what they did wrong. He always sought to justify their actions, however difficult it was to do so.
We can learn a lot about judging favorably from these events. Often we find ourselves in a situation of hearing something about somebody else and being in a position to say something that might change things for the better. However it is all too easy to remain silent. Moses teaches us that we should not. We should interject a positive comment in the defense of the person.
Sometimes, when speaking in private to a close friend, we may find it necessary to mention something that we feel needs attention. This only applies to our relationship with that person and to our private communications with that person. When speaking to others about that person, or hearing that person discussed by others, we must always seek to give the benefit of the doubt, or better yet, to advocate on their behalf however unlikely the scenario.
Taking this one step further, the ideal would be for us to advocate on that person’s behalf in our own mind and not just with other people. Just as I will always have a good excuse and justification when it comes to my own actions (I’m sure that I’m the only one who ever does that), if I truly cherish and respect my colleague, I will apply the same generosity that I allow for myself when it comes to their apparent failings.
I want to share with you a story from the Talmud that illustrates what judging others favorably to the extreme might look like.
Our Rabbis taught: He who judges his neighbour favorably is himself judged favourably. So a story is told of a certain man who descended from Upper Galilee and was engaged by an individual in the South for three years. On the eve of the Day of Atonement he requested him, ‘Give me my wages that I may go and support my wife and children.’ ‘I have no money,’ answered he. ‘Give me produce,’ he demanded; ‘I have none,’ he replied. ‘Give me land.’ — ‘I have none.’ ‘Give me cattle.’ — ‘I have none. ‘Give me pillows and bedding.’ — ‘I have none.’ [So] he slung his things behind him and went home with a sorrowful heart. After the Festival his employer took his wages in his hand together with three loaded donkeys, one bearing food, another drink, and the third various sweetmeats, and went to his house. After they had eaten and drunk, he gave him his wages. Said he to him, ‘When you asked me, “Give me my wages,” and I answered you, “I have no money,” of what did you suspect me?’ ‘I thought, Perhaps you came across cheap merchandise and had purchased it.’ ‘And when you requested me, “Give me cattle,” and I answered, “I have no cattle,” of what did you suspect me?’ ‘I thought, they may be hired to others.’ ‘When you asked me, “Give me land,’ and I told you, “I have no land,” of what did you suspect me?’ ‘I thought, perhaps it is leased to others.’ ‘And when I told you, “I have no produce,” of what did you suspect me?’ ‘I thought, Perhaps they are not tithed.’ ‘And when I told you, “I have no pillows or bedding,” of what did you suspect me?’ ‘I thought, perhaps he has sanctified all his property to Heaven.’ ‘By the [Temple] service!’ exclaimed he, ‘it was even so; I vowed away all my property because of my son Hyrcanus, who would not occupy himself with the Torah, but now I have been absolved of all my vows. And as for you, just as you judged me favourably, so may the Omnipresent judge you favourably.’
Once Yeshua found himself on the wrong end of not being judged favorably. This passage if from the Gospel of John. The context of the passage is Yeshua being criticized for healing on the Shabbat. There he taught:
Joh 7:21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it.
Joh 7:22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
Joh 7:23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well?
Joh 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
That last verse stands alone as a general principle for our dealing with others, Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment, and always judge favorably.
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