"Even if you are surrounded by swindlers and people who wronged you - don't stoop to their level and don't be like them. Remain an honest and decent person. Don't lose your uprightness even when dealing with the biggest crooks," said Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto in his talk last night in Miami.
Rabbi Pinto based his words on the weekly Torah reading of Vayeitze. He based his talk on the character of Jacob our father, who remained scrupulously upright even when dealing with the wicked Esau and the swindler Laban.
Rabbi Pinto explained, "Be suspicious, but don't lose faith in people. Because if a person loses faith - he loses everything." Rabbi Pinto turned to the crowd and asked: "How much do you have faith in other people?" The answer was clear: almost never.
Rabbi Pinto then asked: If a 6-year-old boy is asked whether he has faith in the people around him, his answer will be “Yes.” Why is that? Because the child's innocence has not yet been destroyed, he still has faith in people. "You have to have faith in life. Even if life has caused us severe disappointments. One can only succeed with faith," added Rabbi Pinto.
For the full talk:
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel