Reply To: We must daven for Ariel Sharon shlita

I beg to differ.

Yserbius123: Of course he is not a tzaddik. He is still shlita since all that means is Sheyichyeh liyamim tovim aruchim (or something to that effect) I was saying that Ariel Sharon should live for many long days. I know that it is often used for a person whom the public considers holy, but literally its for anyone who you want to live long.

Syag Lchochma:

I am saying this because number one he is a Jew and number two he ran the country and kept millions of our brethren safe, as well as when he was a big shot in the army.

Yes, he did horrible things. I am not saying we should pray for him because of that. I am saying that no matter what he did, we can focus on the positive, which is that during the years that he was commander in chief, millions of people were protected by him. Certainly there is an strong element of Hakaras Hatov.

Think about it. The Torah commands “Do not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in their country.”

Wow. They tortured the Jews. Why not hate someone who hurt you? The Answer is that the Torah is not focusing on that, its focusing on the benefit that you received from them. Because the good is not negated by the bad.

So we are being taught that the good done is not negated by the bad. At the end of the day, you received a benefit. Therefore because of hakaras hatov you can not hate an Egyptian. Imagine hearing that command about the German people?!

How many times more is this so regarding a leader of Israel who maintained a safe country for millions of Jews, despite the harmful things he did? Are there not millions of people who were protected by him? Any person who was, should feel duty bound to reciprocate.

Anyone know his name for Tehillim?