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(Sunness continued from page 66)
istrators, and they were getting free cop-
ies for all the participants. I signed up.
When the book came, I saw that there
was not a single page that I would feel
comfortable reading. I returned the book
and said that I could not read it. The
next day, the chairman’s secretary came
to me and told me that they understood
and respected my decision not to read it.
I wanted to be part of the group, but not
under these conditions.
Lessons from Pirkei Avos The ability to judge people favorably is
All of the wisdom of Pirkei Avos (Ethics critical in the workplace. Each person is
of the Fathers) applies not only to the under his or her own special obligations
realm of Torah study but to all aspects of and stress, and you are only seeing one
our daily lives. There are great lessons for aspect in your dealings with that person.
living a spiritually-grounded life in the
workplace and out. I would like to high- is an anxious as I am to have it in place. ation.
light two mishnayos from Pirkei Avos The Rambam points out that the A second mishna that has relevance to
here:
mishna does not say do not judge any- the world of work is Rabbi Tarfon’s adage
One of the most famous mishnayos one. Rather, it says hevei dan, to actively at the end of the second chapter of Pirkei
is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Prachyah’s say- judge. One has to judge the situation and Avos: “Lo alecha hamelacha ligmor,”
ing, ‘Hevei dan es kol ha’adam lechaf individual. If a person is evil, one should (The work is not yours to complete). I
zechus’ (1:6), judge everyone favorably. appreciate that fact and realize that that gave birth to my second child during my
Much attention has been paid to this in person does not deserve the benefit of the ophthalmology residency. It was a very
recent times. Rebbetzin Samet’s book, doubt. In the workplace, this means that stressful time. I was trying to nurse my
The Other Side of the Story, gives many if someone is treating you in a harassing son while maintaining my on-call sched-
examples of how one may misinterpret or abusive way, you do not excuse it and ule at a hospital that was 45 minutes
what another person has done, and how pass it off. A person should not feel ex- from home. I was speaking to someone
important it is to give the benefit of the ploited in any way in the workplace, and about all the stress I felt, and he said, “Lo
doubt. The mishna says, “kol ha’adam,” should not passively accept such a situ- alecha hamelacha ligmor.” I understood
generally translated as every man. But
kol ha’adam may also mean “the whole
man.” If we knew the whole story, we
might see an event in a different light.
The ability to judge people favorably is
critical in the workplace. Each person is
under his or her own special obligations
and stress, and you are only seeing one
aspect in your dealings with that person.
It is easy to become angry and impatient,
because you also have obligations and
deadlines, but it is worth stepping back
and viewing your coworker in a good
light. For example, as a physician it is
very important for me to get the refer-
ring doctor’s notes before I see a patient.
There are times when the notes are not
in place. It would be easy for me to “blow
up” and yell at my secretary. I try not to
do this. When I look into it, the secretary
has already called the referring doctor’s
office several times to get the note and
70 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
istrators, and they were getting free cop-
ies for all the participants. I signed up.
When the book came, I saw that there
was not a single page that I would feel
comfortable reading. I returned the book
and said that I could not read it. The
next day, the chairman’s secretary came
to me and told me that they understood
and respected my decision not to read it.
I wanted to be part of the group, but not
under these conditions.
Lessons from Pirkei Avos The ability to judge people favorably is
All of the wisdom of Pirkei Avos (Ethics critical in the workplace. Each person is
of the Fathers) applies not only to the under his or her own special obligations
realm of Torah study but to all aspects of and stress, and you are only seeing one
our daily lives. There are great lessons for aspect in your dealings with that person.
living a spiritually-grounded life in the
workplace and out. I would like to high- is an anxious as I am to have it in place. ation.
light two mishnayos from Pirkei Avos The Rambam points out that the A second mishna that has relevance to
here:
mishna does not say do not judge any- the world of work is Rabbi Tarfon’s adage
One of the most famous mishnayos one. Rather, it says hevei dan, to actively at the end of the second chapter of Pirkei
is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Prachyah’s say- judge. One has to judge the situation and Avos: “Lo alecha hamelacha ligmor,”
ing, ‘Hevei dan es kol ha’adam lechaf individual. If a person is evil, one should (The work is not yours to complete). I
zechus’ (1:6), judge everyone favorably. appreciate that fact and realize that that gave birth to my second child during my
Much attention has been paid to this in person does not deserve the benefit of the ophthalmology residency. It was a very
recent times. Rebbetzin Samet’s book, doubt. In the workplace, this means that stressful time. I was trying to nurse my
The Other Side of the Story, gives many if someone is treating you in a harassing son while maintaining my on-call sched-
examples of how one may misinterpret or abusive way, you do not excuse it and ule at a hospital that was 45 minutes
what another person has done, and how pass it off. A person should not feel ex- from home. I was speaking to someone
important it is to give the benefit of the ploited in any way in the workplace, and about all the stress I felt, and he said, “Lo
doubt. The mishna says, “kol ha’adam,” should not passively accept such a situ- alecha hamelacha ligmor.” I understood
generally translated as every man. But
kol ha’adam may also mean “the whole
man.” If we knew the whole story, we
might see an event in a different light.
The ability to judge people favorably is
critical in the workplace. Each person is
under his or her own special obligations
and stress, and you are only seeing one
aspect in your dealings with that person.
It is easy to become angry and impatient,
because you also have obligations and
deadlines, but it is worth stepping back
and viewing your coworker in a good
light. For example, as a physician it is
very important for me to get the refer-
ring doctor’s notes before I see a patient.
There are times when the notes are not
in place. It would be easy for me to “blow
up” and yell at my secretary. I try not to
do this. When I look into it, the secretary
has already called the referring doctor’s
office several times to get the note and
70 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
