I saw a quote in the sefer, Agan HaSar (page 152), in which Chazon Ish was asked what the highest level a person could reach in this world. He said,
לעבור את כל השבעים שנה בלי לפגוע ליהודי
To go through all your 70 years (i.e. your lifetime in this world) without insulting another Jew.” That is a powerful statement,
And it’s the ultimate level; to go through life without insulting another Jew.
Rav Shteinman z’l brings a source for this, from the Yerushalmi in Dmai (chapter 1) where it tells the story of Rav Pinchas Ben Yair, who was on his way to yeshiva when he came across an overflowing river, which blocked his way. He asked the river why it was interfering, as he had to get to yeshiva to teach. At that point, the river split and he was able to cross. His students asked, Can we also follow?
He answered, מאן דידע בנפשי' דלא אקיל לבר נש מן ישראל מן יומוי יעבור
If someone knows, in his soul, that he never treated another Jewish person lightly in his lifetime, then he can pass.
What the rabbi was asking of his students was that they should be on the level that they had never treated another Jew lightly. And, as we have said previously, the reason that we insult people is that we treat them lightly.
As we mentioned yesterday, every person has a great soul, and is a giant person. Although we might not see it, we should still not treat anybody lightly.
This is the highest, greatest level that a person can reach in this world.
All the great Gedolim excelled in this.
There is a beautiful story about the Steipler. One Rosh Hashanah, he noticed a young boy holding a very large sefer, which seem to be a Gemarah, during the prayers. He took that sefer away from the boy, because it wasn’t the proper time to learn- it was time to pray. Later, after the prayers were over, he noticed that the sefer was actually a very large Machzor. The boy had been praying after all. The Steipler made a mistake, but knew that he couldn’t ask forgiveness, because the child was under age.
Then, many years later, when the boy was celebrating his bar mitzvah, the Steipler made sure to ask his forgiveness, for suspecting him of learning during prayers those many years ago.
It is was still on the Steipler’s mind, many years later, that he had insulted a young child.
Our goal is to reach that level of respect for every Jew.
May we never look down on another Jew, and thus never come to insult another Jew.
Have a wonderful day.