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Rabbi Yehuda {Leonard} Blank MS, BC
Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs
Chair of the Chaplaincy Commission
Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim
917-446-2126 rablenblank@gmail.com
<>October 29, 2026, 18, Cheshvan 5787<>
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It is important not to be judgmental, but rather to find good in others. One must be accepting others however they might look or speak. This also includes their opinions in life, what their lifestyle might be and to which political party they belong. We always must remember that we are all created in the image of H/G. In order to have peace, we must have a peaceful coexistence and a desire to have a caring environment. Everyone should want to follow the path of H/G and hopefully will encourage others to follow suit. It is important to have a heart filled with kindness and goodness. Headlines in the news as of late are often filled with tremendous turmoil and negativity. Yet, in well-known Jewish newspapers, there are Devrei Torah, acts of gemilus chasadim and many other positive and inspirational related articles.
In this Moments of Inspiration, I am sharing with my readership the following: 1) The marvelous HASC Center with a link to their website about their many wonderful programs; 2) An article by Rabbi Joey Haber, “Parshas Noach: Let’s Stop Judging”; 3) A video podcast plus an article about Rabbi Dovid Grossman’s phenomenal activities.
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This past Monday, October 26th, 2006, it was an honor to have been a guest at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the renowned HASC Center whose dedication for those they care for is truly immense. Amongst those who attended were Rabbonim. Rebbetzins, elected officials from the City, State and a Congresswoman. In attendance were also the heads of various well-known organizations. This part of my article Moments of Inspiration is not about all the many dignitaries and other guests who attended both the first part of the ceremony held on the 2nd floor of the majestic new building or the actual ribbon cutting on the outside of the building but about the importance of caring for men, women and children of diverse ages, backgrounds and the various challenges they have in their lives. HASC mission is to treat each person as an individual with his or her own personalities, as wonderful human beings and with accepting hearts of kindness. The staff are not judgmental and see only the qualities of each person regardless of how one speaks, looks or what his or her background might be. Many of those who receive special care from HASC were in attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony. One must say B H how wonderful every person is treated by the entire staff of HASC with utmost warmth, dignity, respect, sincerity, goodness, a lot of TLC and genuine professionalism.
To learn more about HASC Center and their mission, click on the link below.
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From; The Jewish Vues, Parshas Noach Edition. October 14-October 20, 2026. Parshas Noach: Let’s Stop Judging, Page 12. “Noach is one of three people in the Chumash who are escribed as having “found favor” matza chen. The final pasuk of Parshat Bereshit says that Noach Matza chen b’einei H’ “found favor in G’s eyes.” Later in the Book of Bereshit, we read that Yosef “found favor” in the eyes of his master, Potifar, for who he worked as a slave. And in the Book of Shemot, H tells Moshe Rabbenu that he “found favor” in His eyes.
Some commentaries ass that, in fact Yosef and Moshe are subtly mentioned in the beginning of Parshat Noach. The first pasuk of this parshah describes Noach with two adjectives- Tzadik (“righteous”) and Tamim (“complete”). The word Tzadik is associated with Yosef, who is often referred to as Yosef HaTzadik, and the word Tamim alludes to Moshe Rabbenu, who lived with perfect faith and devotion to H. What is the connection between these three figures- Noach, Yosef and Moshe?
The answer is that Yosef and Moshe together corrected Noach’s mistake.
Noach was, on the one hand, a great man, thanks to whom the world was literally saved, but at the same time, he was guilty of a serious flaw. This is indicated by a pasuk in Yeshayahu which refer to the flood as Mei Noach- “Noach’s waters,” suggesting that Noach was somehow to blame for the flood. The Zohar explains that Noach was informed long before the flood of H’s intention to destroy the earth-and he did nothing to stop it. He just heeded H’s command to build an ark for himself and his family. He had 120 years’ notice- but he did not pray for his generation. He did not try to come to their defense and plead to H to spare them. And so he was, in a certain sense, responsible for the catastrophic flood.
Yosef and Moshe exhibited the precise opposite quality.
Yosef was betrayed by his brothers, who threw him into a pit ot kill him, and then sold him as a slave to a foreign country. But Yosef did not seek revenge. His response was not to get back at them. Instead, he forgave them and even took care of them, providing them food during a severe famine. Yosef, the great Tzadik, looked for the good instead of focusing on the bad. He continued loving his brothers despite what they did to him.
This quality was continued by Moshe Rabbenu, who repeatedly prayed to H’s on behalf of Beneh Yisrael, even when they committed very serious sins. When H decided to annihilate the nation after they worshipped the golden calf, Moshe did not just say “ok” like Noach did. Instead, he petitioned H on their behalf, going so far as to demand that if H destroys the people, he should be destroyed with them. He declared that if H did not forgive the people, then M’cheini- alluding to the fact that Moshe here corrected Noach’s grave mistake. Instead of accepting H’s decree against the people of his time, Moshe interceded and prayed that they be saved.
The difference between these two attitudes- that of Noach, and that of Yosef and Moshe-is the difference between judging and reserving judgment.
Noach looked at the people of his generation, saw everything they did wrong, and decided they deserved to be punished. But Yosef and Moshe didn’t rush to judge. Yosef’s brothers and Beneh Yisrael in Moshe’s time, acted wrongly, but Yosef and Moshe didn’t right away condemn them. They understood that there’s so much more going on beneath the surface. No one can ever understand what other people are going through, what kind of struggles they’re dealing with, what kind of challenges they face, what kind of pressure they’re under. So many things contribute to the way a person acts-and nobody knows any of it. So we cannot judge.
And when we don’t judge, we wish people well and pray for their wellbeing. We don’t get angry and look down at them- we do just the opposite. We do just the opposite. We look at them the way Yosef looked at his brothers and the way Moshe looked at the people. We look at them kindly and lovingly, even though they did or do things wrong.
I cannot tell you how many times it happened that a couple who seemed so happy together, who seemed to have such a wonderful marriage, ended up getting divorced, or turned out to be having a very hard time in marriage. None of us know what other couples are going through. None of us know what kind of struggles other parents are having with their kids. None of us know all the details of our fellow’s background and upbringing that could have caused his wrong behaviors.
In short, none of us know practically anything about other people, about why they do what they do. Everyone, without exception, is struggling with something that we know absolutely nothing about.
So let’s stop judging and start loving. Let’s learn from Noach’s mistakes, and follow the examples set by Yosef and Moshe. Let’s give people the benefit of the doubt, try hard to see all the good they do instead of focusing on the bad, and show them lots of love, friendship, and support.”
With his love for H/G, the video podcasts and article regarding Rabbi Grossman show how he has brought sweetness and caring to Jews from many backgrounds in Israel. He was known for his visits to discos, nightclubs and even prisons connecting with at risk youth and others. He was not judgmental but loving with a tremendous heart of kindness. He is known as the legendary Disco Rabbi. Below you will find the link to the video podcasts and article about Rabbi Grossman of Migdal HaEmek and the Dean of Migdal Ohr. There is also an outstanding book, Living Legend: Rabbi Grossman of Migdal HaEmek. ArtScroll Mesorah Publication.
Rabbis, Rebbitzens and Chaplains have so much to share and to give Klal Yisrael. May we be zoche to enhance the meaning of Chaveirim Kol Yisrael, Am Yisrael Chai, Shalom al Yisrael and Achdus/Togetherness. May we continue to uplift the positive spirits of all those who we minister with immense loving care and hearts of kindness. May our energy to make a Kiddush H continue to remain strong and steadfast, helping to bring peace to our world.
Sincerely, Rabbi Yehuda Blank
Click here for the HASC website.
Click here for the video podcasts and article about Rabbi Dovid Grossman