The Power of Forgiveness

 

Shalom, 

This year, Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement occurs next week Tuesday night, and we wanted to share with you a Kabbalistic story related to it.                    

Rabbi Abba once sat at the gateway of the town of Lod.

He saw a man sit down on a pile of rocks at the edge of a mountain overlooking a cliff.

The man was exhausted for his journey and immediately fell asleep. R. Abba watched this scene for a bit until to his dismay he watched as a deadly snake slithered out of the rocks making its way towards the sleeping man.

R. Abba, who was immobilized and transfixed by this unfolding drama, suddenly watched as a new turn of events happened. A giant lizard jumped out between the rocks and killed the snake.

R. Abba continued watching and saw that the man stood up and was perplexed to see a dead snake lying in front of him. He quickly gathered his possessions and rose to continue his journey. At that instant the pile of rocks he was sitting on collapsed and fell into the valley below.

The man was about to wander off when R. Abba ran after him and recounted everything he had witnessed. R. Abba asked the man, “My friend to what do you attribute all these miracles that just transpired?”

The traveler at first did not want to be bothered, but felt the sincerity of R. Abba’s question and confided in him.

“Throughout my life I have never let a person harm me, and where I did not pacify him. Never have I gone to sleep without forgiving someone for hurting me in any way. Anyone who would hurt me would I endeavor, with all my heart, to resolve whatever animosity was between us. And lastly, I would turn the hateful situation to doing acts of kindness for the person involved in the misunderstanding.”

When R. Abba heard this, he burst into tears. This person’s actions were greater than those of Joseph. For Joseph had to deal with his brothers; of course he was going to forgive his brothers.

But this man forgives anyone and everyone who has harmed him. It is no surprise that G-d performs miracles on a daily basis for this blessed man.