Show Some Teeth

Sometimes we are annoyed or hurt or bothered or [fill in the blank] by another person. Oh G-d, what do we do now?

G-d tells us!! "Lo tisna es achicha bilvavecha hocheach tochiach es amisecha" - Don't hate him, rebuke him. Tell him what's bothering you! Talk it out. Thus sayeth the Lord!

Some brave and courageous people do this. Blessed are they.

But others fall into the more cowardly position of blasting the other person behind his back. In Judaism we call this "slander". Loshon Hora lamed heh, go to a hot place the easy way. My life experience has taught me that this happens quite often. Has it ever happened to you?

Well, I will tell you that it happens to me. I am quite outspoken and passionate about what I believe to the point that a good friend recently told me "Face it, some people are just going to hate you".

Lovely.

What does the Torah say to do when being maligned?

This is BIG.

SMILE. It will atone for your sins and cleanse your soul of dross.

SMILE. It means that you must check your actions and take stock of your path in life. Introspect.

SMILE. Nobody can do anything to you if Hashem doesn't let, so it's really from your loving Tatte. This requires a great deal of Emunah.

SMILE. You get to work on your Emunah.

SMILE. You are in the same group as the "Baal Hamevakesh". Call him and tell him how you feel. He doesn't charge.

SMILE. This means that the maligner has serious problems so you can daven for him/her and thereby bring goodness to the world.

SMILE. Don't become bitter. That will benefit nobody.

Most of all - SMILE and find another yid/yiddenne whose day you can make more bright with a kind word or thoughtful gesture. It's ok to do it for a goy also. When you get to meet the Master Of All Being, He will say "AHHHHH there is my .... who made my world a brighter, more joyful place."


LOVE AND BLESSINGS:)