Judaism as Art: A Search for Congruity On Taking and Giving Feedback

Talmud Bavli, Masechet Tamid 28a

Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi says: “…A person should love rebuke since as long as there is

rebuke in the world, ease of mind comes to the world, good and blessing come to

the world, and evil departs from it, as it says, ‘Those who rebuke find favor, and a

good blessing falls upon them’ (Proverbs 24:25)…Rabbi Yonatan said: “Whoever

reproves their neighbor without any ulterior motives is worthy of a portion of the

Holy One Blessed be He, as it says, ‘One that rebukes another finds favor with Me.’

And not only that, God draws over that person a cloth of love’ (Proverbs 28:23).

Bereshit Rabbah 54:3

Rabbi Yosi ben Chanina said: “A love without reproof is no love.” Resh Lakish said: “Reproof leads to peace; a peace where there has been no reproof is no peace.”

Sifra 89a-89b

How do we know that if a person has rebuked a neighbor four and five times

[without succeeding in turning the neighbor from sin], that person should continue

to rebuke [the neighbor]? Because it says: “You shall surely rebuke the other.”

One might infer that the reproof should be carried so far as to change a person’s

face with shame. But it says, “You shall not bring guilt upon the other.” Rabbi

Tarfon said: “In this generation there is no one capable of rebuking [because

everyone is a sinner].” Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah said: “In this generation there is

no one capable of receiving rebuke.” Rabbi Akiva said: “In this generation there is

no one who knows how rebuke ought to be worded.”