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Just to clarify some common misconceptions about this important concept:
The ***requirement*** to judge each other favorably, as ruled by the Chafetz Chaim, applies not at all to ????? (whom we are told to judge ??? ????), to ??????? when their actions are not ????? ??? ????, and to ?????? even when they are.
It also applies only to a person with whom one is specifically acquainted, and who is known to the observer to be ??? ???? (once again, this is the ruling of the Chafetz Chaim).
In other cases, it is ??? ?????? to judge favorably, but not mandated.
Judging favorably also does not entail assuming far-fetched or contrived explanations for a person’s conduct. It does require that we assume that the person rectified whatever wrong he may have committed. ?? ???? ?”? ???? ????? ?????…?????? ??? ?????.
But being practical, since all the people you meet (and those you haven’t met) were all created in the image of Ha-Shem, if you are dan le-kaf zechus, you usually will be right.
Just to clarify some common misconceptions about the halachos of Loshon Hara. It is assur to read lashon hara in the news. If you have read it, it is assur to believe it. It is certainly assur to repeat it.
lilmod ulelamaid – wrong thread thats part of the halacha thread.
What’s the big deal?!
I always Dan myself L’kaf Z’chus.
cherrybim,
I hope you’re not a rasha, because if so you would be doing the wrong thing by being Dan yourself L’kaf Z’chus..
Though if you are a rasha, you pobably don’t care about doing the wrong thing.
so how can a person be dan l’kaf zechus everyone & ever do the chiyuv mitzva of tochacha?
see person in treif restaurant? no sure he’s in a kiruv meeting a someone who still eats treif
see a person with phone on shabbos? no sure his wife either just gave birth or he must be on Hatzlala
hundreds more examples. if a person is dan lecaf zechus then he throws away the mitzva of “hochaich tochiach ess amisecha” because every time he sees someone sinning his yetzer hara will immediately tell him be dan lcaf zechus, im sure there’s a perfect honest reason for cutting 20 people from the waiting line in the store without him just stealing time from all of them
Mashiach Agent – there are so many qualifications to the Mitzvah of tochacha anyhow, so a lot of the time it’s not relevant (although of course, there are times when it is).
But you do have a valid question for those situations when it does apply.
1. Being dan l’kaf zchus doesn’t apply in every situation. I can’t look up the halachos this second, but for example, if you know that someone isn’t frum and always drives on Shabbos, you do not have to assume that they are having a baby every time they drive on Shabbos. On the other hand, if you see your frum neighbor in a car on Shabbos, you should definitely assume that she is having a baby or has some other emergency.
2. Even when you give tochacha, you can be dan l’kaf zchus simultaneously. If you see someone cutting in line and you feel that it’s appropriate to give him tochacha in this situation (which you should think carefully about, because it’s not always the right thing to do), you have to think carefully about how you give tochacha. You need to give it in a pleasant way and you can say it in a way that leaves open the possibility that he had a reason for cutting in line.
And honestly, maybe you should not be giving tochacha in that situation. Maybe you should be assuming that he had a good reason. It is perfectly possible. Maybe he was really in line first, but for some reason the cashier told him to take care of something and come right back. Or maybe he had an emergency. There can definitely be many reasons why it may appear that someone is cutting and he really isn’t. Also, sometimes, people really don’t realize that someone is behind them or they are not sure where the line is.
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