| Subject: Reflections on Kindness and Sensitivity
Dear Friends,
Today marks the Yahrzeit of the Holy and Pious Rabbi Yisrael Salanter (25th of Shevat).
If you would like to spread joy, self-improvement, health, calmness, and dignity in the lives of your family members or friends, please send their email addresses to salantorg@gmail.com.
A few hundred years ago, there was a poor shoemaker who worked tirelessly from morning until night but could barely make enough to support his family. One day, he unexpectedly inherited a fortune and went from "rags to riches" overnight. He had an engaged daughter whom he wanted to honor with a beautiful wedding. As he walked to the Chuppah, a foolish guest pointed to his own shoes as a mock reminder of the father's past poverty. This ridicule embarrassed the father, yet he continued to the Chuppah where the bride and groom were married. However, the impact of this humiliation weighed heavily on his heart, and tragically, he died in his sleep that night.
Rabbi Salanter reflected on this heartbreaking event, expressing that he does not blame the guest, but rather the guest's teachers for failing to instill sensitivity in their students. This incident inspired Rabbi Salanter to establish the Mussar movement, focused on ethical self-improvement.
This lesson is profoundly relevant today, perhaps even more so than in the past, especially with the rise of social media and the decline of moral values. "Bullying is a disease that we must confront with all our strength and wisdom. We must prioritize sensitivity to others in our lives, in our children's education, and in society as a whole."
Last Shabbat, I had lunch with close friends, and the mother shared a heartbreaking story about her son. Last year, he wasn't among the most popular kids in his class, so he became friends with a classmate who also wasn't considered "cool." This year, he became more popular and aligned himself with a different group. When his mother asked him if he was still friends with his former classmate, he replied, "Mommy, if I talk to him, my new friends won't talk to me." The Beit HaMikdash was destroyed due to baseless hatred. Hashem has waited for nearly 2,000 years for us to mend this insufferable flaw. The solution is simple: unconditional love.
We welcome your feedback on this critical issue. Please share your thoughts, advice, and insights with us.
If you would like to join our group, "Kindness Over Cruelty, Always," please feel free to contact us at salantorg@gmail.com
Warmest blessings, Rabbi Zvi Miller Dean of the Salant Foundation
P.S. If you would like to spread joy, self-improvement, health, calmness, and dignity in the lives of your family members or friends, please send their email addresses to salantorg@gmail.com
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