Seeing the Good

“He took up his parable and said, “The word of Balaam the son of Beor and the word of the man with an open eye. (Bamidbar 24:3)”  

Seeing the Good 

The Zemach Tzadik from Vishnitz zt”l, once met R’ Tzvi Hirsh from Liska, zt”l, the author of Ach Pri Tevuah. During that encounter, the Rebbe of Liska described how he discovered the Chassidic approach to life and ultimately became a Chassid: 
 

In his earlier years, R’ Tzvi Hirsh attended one of the world’s predominant and prestigious yeshivot. The school was run by rebbeim, teachers, and administrators who were deeply opposed to the still relatively new Chassidic movement. Naturally, R’ Tzvi Hirsh, as a young yeshiva student, followed their example. 
 

After he married, R’ Tzvi Hirsh decided to fast for several consecutive days until he eventually fainted. He appeared lifeless and it took the doctors several attempts to revive him. Immediately upon awakening, he was blessed with a type of Ruach HaKadosh that enabled him to see everyone’s flaws and strengths by simply looking at them. 
 

Still steeped in his opposition to Chassidim, R’ Tzvi Hirsh decided to use his new skill to expose the movement’s leaders. He traveled to Galicia (Eastern Europe) and his first stop was the city of Rozla where R’ Yehuda Tzvi, the author of Daat Kedoshim, zt”l, resided, who was an extraordinary Torah scholar. R’ Tzvi Hirsh wanted to go to his home and introduce himself. 
 

When R’ Tzvi Hirsh arrived, the Rebbe recognized immediately that he was blessed with this unique Ruach HaKadosh and that he intended to use this ability to expose the flaws in the Chassidic leadership. The Rebbe said to him, “How can someone who fasted for so many days and who has acquired his World to Come in a moment, spend his time seeking the flaws of the righteous!?” 
 

As soon as these words were uttered by the Rebbe, R’ Tzvi Hirsh lost his Ruach HaKadosh. 
 

From that moment, R’ Tzvi Hirsh recognized the tremendous abilities of the Rebbe of Rozla, and the beautiful approach of the Chassidim to be diligent in always seeing the good in others and not their flaws. R’ Tzvi Hirsh extended his stay in Rozla to learn Torah and yirat shemyaim from the Rebbe. And, he humbled himself to learn from the other great tsaddikim of that generation, like the author of the Ateret Tzvi of Ziditchov, and the author of Heichel Bracha from Komarna. And he merited to become a Rebbe in his own right with a court of followers.  
 

A Matter of Perspective 

This story teaches a fundamental lesson. The Yetzer Harah is constantly trying to distort and influence your perspective. He wants you to focus on other people’s shortcomings and flaws, while ignoring their positive attributes. However, it is imperative that we combat the Yetzer Harah and that we constantly make a conscious effort to see the good – the positive in others – and overlook whatever shortcomings they might have. 
 

It is natural for a person to glorify and celebrate their own positive attributes and ignoring their flaws, while having the opposite perspective when viewing and judging others. People tend to focus on the negative, to point out the shortcomings of others while ignoring their admirable traits. Therefore, the Yetzer Harah feeds that natural tendency and, through his deceit, encourages someone to have this distorted perspective. However, a Jew who is focusing on his Avodat Hashem and Yirat Shemyaim, will break their natural tendency. They will focus on someone’s positive qualities while ignoring all shortcomings. 
 

This skewed perspective has an unintended consequence. By focusing on the negative of everyone around you, you inevitably prevent yourself from growing, from being open to learning from them. After all, why would you want to learn from those whom you feel are inferior to yourself? By focusing on everyone’s shortcomings, you will inevitably be prone to arguments and discontent. 
 

By judging everyone harshly, peace is evasive. At the end of Megilat Esther (10:3) it says that Mordechai “sought the good for his people and he made peace for all his descendants (Esther 10:3).” By seeking the good in those around him, Mordechai was able to find peace and tranquility with all.  
 

A New Perspective 

It is delusional to only see the flaws and shortcomings in others and none in yourself. The Rebbe, R’ Simcha Bunim of Peshischa, zt”l, explained that the Torah teaches, you shall not wrong one of your brethren (Vayikra 25:14). This is the source for the law that you cannot deceive other people. Reb Bunim taught that a Chasid goes beyond the letter of the law and refrains from deceiving himself as well. 
 

Reb Bunim’s student, R’ Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, zt”l, said that a Chasid needs to fulfill three things: 1) they need to be self-reflective to ensure that they are doing good, 2) they cannot look at the shortcomings of others, and 3) they cannot seek personal enjoyment. 
 

During one of his farbrengens (Chasidic gathering), R’ Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch, zt”l, told his Chassidim that when he was four years old, he asked his father and Lubavitcher Rebbe, R’ Shalom Dov Ber, zt”l, “why did Hashem create a person with two eyes?” His father answered that the right eye represents seeing the positive, and the left is used for a negative point of view. Sometimes, you need to use your left eye to recognize evil in the world. But most of the time, one must close his left eye and only look with his right eye to see the good in others.  
 

Bilaam’s Eye 

This could be hinted in what Chazal teaches in Sanhedrin (105a) that Bilaam was blind in one eye, as we see that the posuk uses the word “the man with an open eye” instead of “eyes”. Bilaam only used one perspective; he only saw the negative in everyone. Bilaam could only see with his left eye and see the negative in everyone. Therefore, in Pirkei Avot (5:19) “…the disciples of the wicked Balaam have an evil eye, …and inherit purgatory and descent into the pit of destruction.” 
 

May it be Hashem’s Will that every Jew learns to focus on the positive in others, to see what makes them special and not focus on their shortcomings. By gaining this perspective, may Hashem bless the Jews with blessings of health, happiness, and success. 

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The Kalever Rebbe is the seventh Rebbe of the Kaalov Chasidic dynasty, begun by his ancestor who was born to his previously childless parents after receiving a blessing from the Baal Shem Tov zy”a, and later learned under the Maggid of Mezeritch zt”l. The Rebbe has been involved in outreach for more than 30 years, and writes weekly emails on understanding current issues through the Torah. You can sign up at www.kaalov.org.