The Mitzvah of Giving the Benefit of the Doubt

The Mitzvah of Judging People Favorably

The mitzvah of "judging favorably" appears several times in the Torah and Jewish law. This mitzvah commands us to judge others positively and give them the benefit of the doubt when their actions appear to be harmful or problematic. 

Examples from the Torah

The mitzvah to "judge favorably" appears in the Torah in the verse: "Judge your fellow with righteousness" (Vayikra 19:15), and is considered a Torah-level commandment according to many authorities. The Mishnah also states: "Judge every person favorably."

In the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah) it is written, "Moses said before Him: Master of the Universe, I know that You love Your children, and You only seek those who will advocate on their behalf."

Reward for This Mitzvah

The Talmudic Sages describe the reward for those who judge favorably which is primarily experienced in the world to come but also in this world. Furthermore, those who judge others favorably are in turn judged favorably by Hashem.

The Shelah Hakadosh writes: "Everyone should accustom himself to this attribute of judging their fellow favorably in every possible way, even if it seems far-fetched. Beyond removing quarrels and bringing peace to the earth, it increases the honor of Heaven, and Hashem greatly desires this. Not only will they be judged favorably above, but even in this world, Hashem shows them special affection."

Judging the Jewish People Favorably

The Chofetz Chaim writes: "Everyone must be careful not to condemn the Jewish People as a whole, and instead we should always accustom ourselves to arouse Hashem's mercy and mention their merits. For this, we will be beloved and cherished before Hashem..."

The Gemara states that, "Whoever judges his fellow favorably, Hashem will judge him favorably." The Chofetz Chaim notes here: "See Hashem's kindness, for He desires kindness, and accepts any kind of argument from someone who advocates for finding merit."

The Pele Yoetz notes that in several places in the Torah, Hashem was strict in judgment with those who spoke negatively about the Jewish People. The Prophet Elijah was punished for criticizing the Jewish People, when he said: "I have been very zealous for Hashem, God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant." Even the Prophet Isaiah was punished for saying: "I dwell among a people of unclean lips," and Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) was punished for saying: "They will not believe me" when Hashem told him to go to tell the Jewish People that they were about to be redeemed.

By contrast, Gideon merited to lead the Jewish People because he advocated for them, as it is written: "Go with this strength of yours and save Israel" – with the strength of your advocacy for the Jewish People.

Practical Examples for Fulfilling This Mitzvah

How can we implement the mitzvah of "judging favorably" in daily life? Here are some practical examples:

At work: A colleague arrives late at an important meeting. Instead of getting angry and blaming them, we can consider that perhaps an unexpected problem arose, or an urgent personal issue had to be dealt with.

At home: A family member forgets an important date or a certain task. We can consider the possibility that they were very busy or preoccupied with other matters.

On the road: Another driver is speeding or driving dangerously. Perhaps they're rushing to the hospital or to an urgent appointment.

Practical Tips for Fulfilling This Mitzvah

Gratitude: Always look for the good in others and remember that everyone faces personal challenges and difficulties at times.

Active listening: Really hear the other person's story and try to understand things from their perspective.

Taking time: Don't rush to judge others. Sometimes, only time reveals the true reasons for actions that seem problematic at first glance.

Learning from our own lives: Think about the times when we ourselves have made mistakes or behaved in ways that could be interpreted negatively, and consider how we would want others to judge us favorably.

How can we judge others favorably?

1. Forgetfulness

Sometimes a person doesn't fulfill what they promised simply because they forgot, even if they wrote it down and asked to be reminded. A forgetful person is not exempt from paying a debt or for any damage they caused, but we should still judge them favorably.

2. Confusion and lack of attention

Sometimes a person doesn't return a greeting, doesn't answer a call, or seems to ignore things they should do, or forgets to turn off their cell phone when entering the synagogue, and this stems from lack of concentration rather than ill intent. Similarly, sometimes a person errs in halachah (Jewish law) because they forgot a certain detail.

3. A person who doesn't hear well

If you're talking to someone and get no response, or they respond inappropriately, consider that some people have poor hearing, and that they either didn't hear or misunderstood your words. 

4. A person who is not alert

There are people who are not alert by nature and respond only slowly and cautiously to whatever is going on. Sometimes, such people cause harm to others due to their nature, and they may not even notice -- and therefore they don't apologize either. This has nothing to do with ill will on their part.

5. A person who lacks wisdom

Sometimes, a person does something because they don't know it's forbidden, or they're not aware of the severity of the action and its implication, or they lack the life experience to know that a certain action hurts, annoys, or distresses people. If they did realize, they would stop -- but through no fault of their own, they don't.

6. A weak or sick person

Some people are naturally weaker physically; others may be ill, even though outwardly they seem healthy. Such people can appear lazy or apathetic when really, they simply don't have the necessary energy to do whatever is required of them. In some cases, they may actually be exerting themselves far more than strong and healthy people -- it's just that the end result is beyond their control and looks so much less.

7. A short-tempered person

Sometimes psychological pressure and difficult emotions such as worry, suffering, or stress, cause a person to be short-tempered and impatient. A short-tempered person can easily make wrong decisions due to lack of contemplation and forethought, react with impatience and discourtesy, and even lose control of their actions entirely. Their negative actions stem not so much from evil intent as from their mental state. Of course, it's incumbent upon such a person to work on their character, but as the great Sages have said, this is the work of years, and until then... it's incumbent upon us to be patient with them until they improve, as long as they are basically good people and making an effort.

8. A gloomy pessimist

There are people who believe that everything negative that happens to them is the fault of someone who seeks their harm, and therefore they react inappropriately to all kinds of things. Don't judge your friend until you reach his place (and hopefully you won't ever reach it, in this case).

9. Misleading appearances

There are people whose facial expressions are misleading -- they always look as if they are angry, or their  tone of voice always sounds angry, or they appear to be mocking you. Pay closer attention to avoid misinterpreting them.

10. Different customs and lifestyle

Different communities, and also different generations, have different customs, lifestyles, patterns of behavior, and etiquette. There are places where it's customary not to be strict in certain areas of halachah, and places where people are extremely strict, and outsiders may not be aware of these distinctions. If you're not familiar with someone's customs and way of doing things, you may become offended by something that was not at all meant to be offensive. So, don't rush to judge negatively.

11. Your fellow Jew's unique challenge

Each person has the challenge in life that Hashem has set for them. Each person's yetzer hara (evil inclination) is strong in different areas. Sometimes, you might find yourself judging someone for doing something that makes you wonder how such an act is possible. Your wonder stems from your unfamiliarity with your friend's yetzer hara. It could be that they have an exceptionally strong evil inclination in a certain area whereas in other areas, they're on a high spiritual plane. It's also possible that despite the sin they committed, they are actually doing better than in the past, and still struggling greatly to overcome their yetzer hara, and the area in which you saw them fail in represents a great improvement for them.

It's also possible that in other matters you are worse than that person. Think about it, and you'll almost always find this to be true.