1 Response to Guard Your Tongue

1. shikkerdovid says:

   June 6, 2012 at 8:54 am

   THe Shikker Dovid loves this quote. The shikkerDovid needs to work on this “Mida” of not talking about others. I believe it is hard to conquer because the Tavaah to speak about others is hard to understand. This inclination is not like eating something forbidden or a forbidden relationship. These give bodily pleasures. It is not like failing to give charity, or doing a chesed which are sacrifices. After thinking about this alot, I believe that this inclination is fueled by our own lack of worth. But more interestingly to divert our attention to others to feel better about ourselves. It is known as ‘schaudenfraude”- when something bad happens to others, we get pleasure. The diversion from our own predicaments or problems I believe is at the root.

   The antedote is to think better of ourselves. Highly of ourselves, not in a haughty way, but in a confident way. It is therefore a Mitzvah to be confident about yourself in order to feel better about others.

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