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Among the Hassidic masters, Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchov stands out as one who truly perfected these practices. Known for his extreme love for the people, Levi Yitzchak truly possessed the proverbial "good eye" (ayin tova), for he had trained himself to see only the good in others, even sinners. Once, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, Levi Yitzchak was heading to synagogue for the Selichot services when a sudden downpour forced him and his personal assistant to seek shelter under the awning of a tavern. The assistant peered through the window and saw a group of Jews feasting, drinking, and reveling. Growing impatient, he urged Levi Yitzchak to see for himself how the Jews inside were misbehaving when they should have been in synagogue praying to God for forgiveness. Instead of looking, Levi Yitzchak rebuked his assistant for finding fault with the children of Israel. Surely, he asserted, they must be reciting blessings over their food and drink; instead of passing judgment on them, Levi Yitzchak proceeded to bless them. The assistant then peered into the tavern once more and overheard two Jews talking to one another about thefts they had committed. He told this to the Rebbe, yet once more Levi Yitzchak refused to judge them and instead concluded that, indeed, they must be holy Jews since they were confessing their sins to one another before Rosh Hashanah! |