homepage homepage programs

Parashat Vayetze – A Genuine “I’m sorry”

|

“The ice looks thick from the outside, but beneath the surface, it’s already melting. Trust me, I’m a seasoned traveler, don’t try crossing those rivers now!”

“Ah, you’re just an older, overly cautious merchant – my generation takes risks, I can do this!”

“As the younger merchant feels the ice cracking beneath his carriage, his piercing shriek tears through the night, “Oh! If only I had listened to my friend…!”

A genuine “I’m sorry” is not a politically correct statement. A genuine “I’m sorry” is an expression of a deep aha moment. It’s about humility, recognition of a new perspective, and real change.

These moments shape who we are and the lenses we use to make life decisions. Granted, such moments are few, but they hold much of our lives within them.

Great people recognize their mistake and apologize. Ordinary people find excuses.

It takes more courage to apologize than to climb mount, Everest! You see, being courageous in advancing our accomplishments is one thing, but being courageous in admitting our human condition is quite another!

Relationships dissipate in the absence of a sincere apology. Sure, we think we are in the right. It’s possible. But there’s always something we overlooked, doesn’t that deserve an apology?

It’s healthy. It’s human! And it’s the secret ingredient to a happy life!

Wishing you and your family a Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Mendy