January 20, 2012

Your Willingness to Forgive Others Can Extend Your Life


Basically, what this states is that if you are willing to overlook the bad acts of others and to forgive other people for their sins, your life can be extended even past the time that G_d originally had planned for you.



SEFER SHMIRAS HALOSHON

New Lease on Life

At times, the willingness to overlook and forgive can cause a person’s life on this world to be extended, even after Heaven has decreed that his time has come. The Talmud relates (Rosh Hashanah 17a):

R’ Huna, the son of R’ Yehoshua, fell ill. R’ Pappa went to visit him. Upon seeing that he was unconscious, R’ Pappa told them [R’ Huna’s attendants], “Prepare provisions for him [i.e. ready his burial shrouds].’’ In the end, R’ Huna recovered. They [R’ Huna’s attendants] asked him [R’ Huna], “What did you see [while unconscious]?’’ He told them, “Indeed, that is how it was [that death had been decreed upon me]. But the Holy One, Blessed is He, instructed them, ‘Because he does not exact his measure, therefore, do not be exacting with him.’ As it is written, ‘He forgives transgressions and passes over sins’ (Michah 7:18) — whose sin does He forgive? One who passes over sins.’’

Therefore, one should cling to this sacred attribute constantly. In this way, it will be good for him in this world and in the World to Come.

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