The Power of a Good Word
I once had occasion to meet a simple Jew. This man was quite ordinary and lacked any sort of worldliness. But he had the gumption to approach me with a Torah insight that he himself revealed. In all honesty, it was quite a simple explanation, but I demonstrated great excitement over it. I praised him for it and made a big deal about it.
This man was very moved by my reaction. It caused him to value Torah study. He eventually committed himself to learn Torah for a few hours, every day.
How powerful is a good word! After this humble man was commended for his Torah insight, he desired to add hours to his learning schedule, coming closer to the holy Torah. “Success breeds success,” as the saying goes.
Had I not responded so positively to his insight, he might have despaired of ever revealing any Torah insights whatsoever. I would have been an indirect cause of his paucity in Torah study, chalilah.
