Giving the benefit of the doubt is a healthy (and holy) outlook, promotes personal happiness, and saves one from unnecessary trials and tribulations.
We all make mistakes — or sometimes they seem like mistakes to others — but with ahavat Yisrael the benefit of the doubt can be given creating a magnificently wonderful spiritual ripple effect.
In the teaching called “Azamra,” Rebbe Nachman urges,
“Know! You need to judge every person favorably; even someone who is completely evil. You need to search and find any little bit of good in him which is not consumed by evil.
By finding in him this bit of good and judging him favorably, you actually alter the judgements he has on him from up high to sweet good judgements”
Rav Ashlag adds that since G-d only sees the good in people, when we also see the good, we become similar in form — aka closer to G-d.
This is such an amazing statement, it has to be said again: G-d only sees the good in people.
If that wasn’t enough, remember that we are judged by the way we judge others. If we judge people favorably then we too will be judged favorably and the opposite is also true, chas v’shalom.
What more of an incentive could we need to give the benefit of the doubt?
Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzhak Sasson 