The Sifsei Tzadik of Piltz zt”a would judge favorably every orphan or poor person who was caught doing something wrong. Since he felt such compassion for them, he found ways to see only good in them.
Once, he came to the city of Davanka and noticed that there was a big commotion in the street. He asked what had happened and the people replied that an orphan boy had been caught stealing. The boy had been caught stealing coins from the shul’s pushka to buy whiskey, and some people beat them up and decided to expel him from the town. However, the orphan refused to leave and would not move from his place.
The Rebbe hurried to the scene of the commotion, approached the leader of the group and began to question him about his past. He asked, “Were you an orphan?” Again, he answered that he was not. The Rebbe then asked, “Were you hungry for bread?” The man said no. The Rebbe asked, “Did you wander around without any education and without a home?” Yet again, the man said no. The Rebbe then yelled at him, “If so, how dare you judge him? The Chochomim have said ‘Do not judge your friend until you reach his place’.”
He once was asked why he often put down distinguished, honored men, revealing their inequities in public, while raising up and honoring lowly and simple people.
He explained, “I have pity on all of them. The difference is that the oppressed need words of encouragement, and, therefore, I strengthen and encourage them, while the proud man needs a little humility, and, therefore, I influence them to be humble.”
