TheYeshiva.net - Rabbi YY Jacobson

Should Jews Forgive the Germans?

Do You Know How To Forgive? When Do You Refuse to Forgive?

54 min

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Class Summary:

This radio show, broadcast on May 2, 2015, explored the theme of forgiveness. Drawing on the stories of Simon Wiesenthal in Sunflower, of Nelson Mandela, and of the German Jewish Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau, it wonders when to embrace forgiveness and when to deny it to your enemy.

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Terry -6 years ago
Should Jews forgive the Germans
Dear Rabbi Jacobson, i have learned so much from your comments during this show. I was struck by Rabbi Heschel's response to Simon Wiesenthal....it really helped me to know that there is no obligation to forgive those who hurt others.

Perhaps the most powerful insight that you offered were your words about how to forgive: to realize who we are and about God's providence...this makes so much more "sense" than being told simply that one "should" forgive. At the same time I loved learning about the nightly meditation.

Thank for your comments about the diversity in our community. I have only recently started to learn about groups other than my own and I am in awe of the richness and wisdom and depth that exist in the teachings of our various groups...how much to appreciate about our entire world-wide community.

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Aron -9 years ago
Hi Rabbi Jacobson,
I still feel lacking in the issue of forgiveness. At the end of the day should we forgive the Nazis and ultimately Hitler or not?
Especially after you spoke of Nelson Mandela, Yosef Hatzadick and how we say in krias Shema הריני מוחל
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YR
Yakov Rothschild -9 years ago
תודה כבוד הרב ועיין בחומש היכל הברכה מקמארנע על המצוה לא תעשה לא לנקום שמוסיף "אם עומד במרדו יכול לעשות מה שיוכל כדי למנוע...אף יותר מה שהו עושה לו ולא יהיה הכוונה לנקמה...אבל יהיה הכוונה שימנע את חבירו מלצער אותו
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