Being Judgemental - The Sequel

There is a story in Holy Brother about R' Shlomo Carlebach [I read it years ago so I might be off on a detail or two]. One night he walked into a hotel in Jerusalem with a prostitute on either side of him. He rented a room and went upstairs with them. He overhead people saying things like "shameful" "a disgrace". Such behavior IS shameful and a disgrace.

Reb Shlomo related that these two women were Jewish girls [American, I think] who had gone FAAAAAAR off the derech. He had to leave the next morning and this was his last chance to save them. So he spent the whole night telling them stories and singing to them with his guitar. In the morning they left teary eyed and enrolled in Seminary. They went on to become frum, pious women and built holy Jewish families.

As he used to say "You never know...".

I never personally met Reb Shlomo but I know that he was mekarev thousands of people and continues to inspire many long after his passing. There are things people say that he did which are halachically problematic. My take is that we should respect him for all the good he did and try to emulate his countless mitzvos. We also make sure not to follow his questionable practices but leave the judging to Hashem. By emphasizing the good and being aware of but not harping on the not so good we connect to the light and holiness which he possessed in tremendous amounts and elevate ourselves. When focusing upon the problematic behaviors we lower ourselves. That is why I recommend that people try to avoid newspapers. They harp on everything evil.

HaRav Kook Ztz"l


על-כן הצדיקים הטהורים אינם קובלים על החושך, אלא מוסיפים אור; אינם קובלים על הרשעה, אלא מוסיפים צדק; אינם קובלים על הכפירה, אלא מוסיפים אמונה; אינם קובלים על הבערות, אלא מוסיפים חכמה


Therefore, the pure righteous do not complain of the dark,
but increase the light;
they do not complain of evil, but increase justice;
they do not complain of heresy, but increase faith;
they do not complain of ignorance, but increase wisdom

LOVE AND BLESSINGS:-)!