Parshat Chukat- Forgiveness
by Rabbi Lobel

(Numbers; Chapter 21, Verse 7) “The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against G-d and against you! Pray to G-d that He remove from us the snakes.” Moses prayed for the people.”

Once again, the Jewish people spoke against G-d and Moses, this time for not feeling satiated by the Manna. G-d sent forth venomous snakes which bit large multitudes of Israel . When Moses prayed for Israel , G-d told him to make a copper snake and place it on a pole. Those bitten would recover when looking into the eyes of the copper snake.

Rabeinu BeChaya says the Jewish people first asked forgiveness from Moses for speaking badly about the Manna. Israel then asked Moses to pray to G-d on their behalf. As Rabeinu BeChaya elaborates, from here we see that a person, after forgiving, should also pray for the sinner's salvation and not be cruel by withholding his prayer.

It appears from Rabeinu BeChaya that, when we forgive people, it is also incumbent upon us to beseech G-d to forgive that person as well; not only can't we begrudge the individual, we must pray to G-d on his behalf. Forgiveness doesn't simply we mean we no longer bear the person any ill will. Forgiveness means we fervently hope for the sinner's well being. If a person “forgives” but refuses to pray on the sinner's behalf, Rabbeinu BeChaya considers that individual an evildoer.

To properly forgive another person, we must not only forgive him but also seek his salvation.