The Other Side of the Story - It Takes A Thief

Become a Supporter Library Library

The Other Side of the Story - Giving People the Benefit of the Doubt

To put a bad scenario in a good light sometimes takes more than just imagination. Sometimes...

It Takes A Thief

Last summer, in the midst of the various terrorist attacks in Israel, a Jewish person at the rush of a bustling Dizengoff intersection in Tel Aviv alerted those surrounding him that the bag he just brought there contained a live bomb!

After the squad disconnected the explosive, the person was investigated by the police. The man explained that earlier he was at the beach; and meaning to steal the contents of a good-looking bag, he picked it up, escaped the security and opened it at the Dizengoff intersection.

To his dismay, inside, instead of finding something of value - he found a bomb!

Apparently that bag had been planted at the beach by terrorists earlier that day. Through his intention to steal, this "bag-picker" saved a hazard. If, G-d forbid, that bag had exploded a minute earlier in the midst of a bustling intersection, what would the world have thought about this man? Would anyone have let his imagination drift and thought: "That guy probably stole the bag, and it just so happened to contain a bomb?"

Many times, what seems to be imagination proves to be reality. So let's follow the directive of the Torah and judge favorably.

Avroham Shor, Neve Yaakov, Jerusalem

OHRNET NOTES: The above is a powerful illustration of how wrong we can sometimes be about others. However, in no way is it meant to justify those who actually perform acts of terror and murder, nor meant to justify theft.


The Other Side of the Story Archives


Based on "The Other Side of the Story" by Mrs. Yehudis Samet, ArtScroll Series

Do you have a story to share?

Were you in a situation where there was the potential to misjudge a person, but there really was a valid explanation? Has a friend or a relative ever told you how they were in such a situation?

Share you stories with us for inclusion in future columns of The Other Side of the Story.

To submit your story, send it to info@ohr.edu. (To insure proper handling, put "Other Side" in the subject line of your message).


Subscribe to The Other Side of the Story via PointCast


The Ohr Somayach Home Page is hosted by TeamGenesis
vj_bar.gif (1798 bytes)

Copyright © 1998 Ohr Somayach International. Send us feedback.
Ohr Somayach International is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation (letter on file) EIN 13-3503155 and your donation is tax deductable.