How can we help each other improve and move our lives forward in a world so divided? How can we hope to overcome the external challenges we face if we cannot work with each other internally?
The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Devarim, where Moshe begins his last address to the Jewish people just before his passing and their entrance into the land of Israel. Moshe's last testament fills almost the entire fifth book of the Chumash and, at times, reads as a stern rebuke of the Jewish people's forty-year journey through the desert. How is it that they were willing to accept such harsh words from Moshe without becoming defensive and resistant, as humans often are? The answer lies in a strange word and its associated commentary. The Torah tells us that Moshe began his critique next to a place called Di Zahav, which translates as "enough gold." This name stems from the fact that Moshe argued with G-d that the golden calf wasn't entirely the fault of the Jewish people since Hashem had provided them with an excess of gold when they departed Egypt. Indeed, this narrative is indicative of Moshe's leadership, constantly defending his people and asking G-d to judge them favorably. Time and again, they sinned, and time and again, Moshe stood up for them and begged Hashem for mercy.
This is why they were so receptive to his brutally honest review of their sojourn in the desert. They knew it came from a place of love and respect and was born out of a pure desire to see them improve and grow into the nation they were destined to be.
We, too, must learn from Moshe's example and establish a foundation of love without judgment of one another. This transformative power of love and respect, when nurtured, can inspire hope and bring about positive change. Only then will people be receptive to your encouragement and guidance. We are rushing to correct each other before we acknowledge the true beauty and value that lies within each of us, our Neshama, our divine soul. Once we reveal and celebrate this unifying light, we can genuinely help others and be helped by others without any reluctance, concern, or hesitation.
As we prepare to celebrate Tisha B'av this Monday evening and Tuesday, a day when our Temples were destroyed because of senseless hatred, let us resolve to pause incriminating each other and work on loving each other unconditionally. And don't worry about your criticisms; if they reappear from a place of love, they will be more effective, and if you forget them, they probably weren't that accurate to begin with.
Mission: Stop criticizing and show some love. You'll be shocked at how receptive people become.