Gut Vuch And G-d Bless - 18 Av 5769

Vin Skelsa's Idiot's Delight is on, as always - 90.7, Saturday Night 8-12. Broken Bicycles is playing in the background as I write.k
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Al tadin et chaveircha ad she'tagia le'mekomo -

Don't judge your friend until you reach his place.

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The conventional understanding of this is that you should not judge someone until you've been in their exact situation. My take on this is that since you will never be that other person, even if you experience that situation, you can't judge them because you are not experiencing their unique combination of person and circumstance. Rabbi Yamin Goldsmith has an original take on this line. Only G-d can judge, as The Rabbis put it, "Al tadin yechidi, she'ein dan yechidi elah Echad" "Don't judge as one, for the only one who can judge as one is The One." Rabbi Goldsmith's suggestion is that it is not be read "his place," but "His Place." Don't judge another person, until you are G-d, i.e. only G-d can judge.

This fits with the approach of Rabi Saul Zucker regarding loshon hara. His contention is that the problem with speaking negatively about others is that you assume the role of G-d by passing judgement on others. This. is corroborated by the fact that the Jewish court of law id referred to in the Torah with the name of G-d, Elokim. Human beings do not have the right to judge each other. The exception to the rule is a court of law which serves as a conduit for G-d's judgement.

Vin's show's ended and I've popped in a CD, (isn't it amazing how fast CDs became old? - and speaking of old...) CSNY's Looking Forward, which came out ten years ago. If you're familiar with CSNY, then you know that this is a relatively recent album, their latest, I believe. In case anyone was wondering, I'm the guy who bought this album. The prettiest songs are Young's Looking Forward and Slowpoke. Another beautiful Young song is Out of Control, which (unlike the other two) is on youtube, with Young singing it solo.

It's always good to consider poetic words of prayer. At Minchah today I was blessed with a moment and these words stayed with me*:

Splendor of greatness

And a crown of salvation

Is the day of rest and holiness

You have given your people

A rest of love and generosity

A rest of truth and faith

A rest of peace and tranquility

And of calmness and trust

A complete rest

In which You find favor.

*edited and adapted from the original and Sacks translation.