When Forgiveness Fails, Hatred Must Not Take Root |
There are things a person cannot honestly say he has forgiven.
A friend once shared with me that the most difficult prayer for him is not one said in moments of crisis, but one said quietly at the end of the day.
Each night, before sleep, we say words that are easy to recite—yet far more difficult to live:
הֲרֵינִי מוֹחֵל לְכָל מִי שֶׁהִכְעִיס וְהִקְנִיט אוֹתִי אוֹ שֶׁחָטָא כְּנֶגְדִּי,בֵּין בְּגוּפִי בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנִי…וִיהִי רָצוֹן… שֶׁלֹּא יֵעָנֵשׁ שׁוּם אָדָם בְּסִבָּתִי.
“I hereby forgive anyone who has angered me, provoked me, or sinned against me—whether against my person or my possessions… May it be Your will that no one be punished on my account.”
He paused when he said it.
“There are things people have done to me,” he admitted, “that I cannot honestly say I forgive.”
It was not said with........