At the beginning of Shabbat, Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa saw that his
daughter was upset. He asked her what
was wrong and she answered that she accidently used vinegar instead of oil to
light the Shabbat candles.
God, who told
them should burn only oil, can also declare that vinegar can also burn.
As it turned out the candles miraculously
burned until it was time for Havdalah.
–Taanit 25 a
What might have happened did not. What might have happened? The poor daughter could have been chastised,
berated, made to feel small.
Moral? It is easy to judge but better to forgive.
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