thug judaism

I recall reading many times in the TORAH how Adonai would forgive us for the things we do to each other and the things we do for ourselves and call it G-d. What sticks out to me most is when Adonai says that he forgives us not for our own sake, but his.

I often think about this.

I think, if you try to forgive for others or because you feel you should, you will inevitably fail. You can't possibly be motivated to. If someone does something to you that needs forgiving s/he has already motivated you to do the contrary, because s/he doesn't deserve to be forgiven. Saying "I'm sorry" never undoes the damage, it only expressed the regret that the damage has been done. Likewise, you can't forgive out of duty. This sort of thing is useless, because a dutiful act is not a passionate one, and its motivation is lacking. You have to desire to forgive someone first, dutiful things are things we do begrudingly or emotionless because we think they are required of us. The whole attitude of duty is sacrificing emotion, and you have to feel to forgive, otherwise it's not forgiveness and just numbess, because you haven't really let go of the insult from the seat of your emotions.

But if you love the person you are forgiving you will forgive them just so they can be close to you again.

I read a book a while ago on what bitterness resentment and all the reprocussions of not forgiving cause. It was written by a medical doctor. It's interesting how all those unpurged feelings build up disease. It makes even more sence reading the research of the now famous physicist Candace Perth.

It is hard wired into our bodies the need to forgive, but being able to forgive requiring love first, it would seem even more so it is hard wired into our bodies the need to love. Just a thought.