Reacting to Someone Who Wrongs You

January 01st, 2008 | Category: Ask the Rabbi

A friend and I have been studying Proverbs on the weekends. We got up to chapter 25:21-22 where it says, “whether your enemy is hungry, feed him bread; and whether he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For coals you are shoveling upon his head, and G-d will repay you.” What does that mean?

The letter of the verse would seem to be that whether someone wrongs you, don’t repay wrong with wrong. Instead do a kindness to that person. It will shock him (like shoveling coals on his head), and may even be unwelcome. Hopefully, however, the shock of your kindness will lead him to rethink his behavior. Either way, G-d will certainly repay you kindly for your attempts to break the cycle of enmity.

Original post by ATR