Develop the habit of seeing other people as they see themselves. All anger, hatred and quarrels arise simply because a person views the situation from his own perspective, and fails to see the viewpoint of the other person.
For example, if a poor person asks someone who is wealthy for financial assistance, the wealthy person might view the request as insolence and become angry. The poor person feels insulted and perplexed. He thinks to himself, "The Almighty has given him so much, why doesn't he share what he has with me?" They separate from each other with a quarrel and mutual bad feelings. If each would try to understand the position of the other, however, even though they still might not agree, the majority of conflicts and complications that arise in interpersonal relationships could be avoided.
The next time you find yourself in a potential quarrel with another person, view the situation from his perspective also. Then step out of the picture and try to view the situation objectively as if a third party was viewing both of you. Notice the difference that this makes!
Love Yehuda
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Arab fears of Jews taking over the Temple Mount convinced police to ban Jews from the site during Chanukah, which celebrates the Jews' return to the Holy Temple. A report in an Israeli newspaper, disseminated worldwide by United Press International (UPI) stated that Jews planned a "mass pilgrimage" numbering in the "hundreds" to the Temple Mount on Thursday.
The "mass" throng actually consisted of only 200 Jews, but the reports set off panic among Arabs and left Jews outside the site as police blocked their entrance, as has happened several times in the past after Arab clerics spread fears of a "Jewish takeover."
A spokesman for the activists said, "The police provided no reason for their arbitrary decision. At one point police claimed that the Mount was closed due to the Moslem new year, which occurs on Friday and not on Thursday.
UPI reported that the planned "pilgrimage" would test the "shaky calm" in Jerusalem and quoted a report that Jewish activists' intentions to ascend the Temple Mount were interpreted by Arab clerics as "as a plan to invade the site or build a synagogue there."
The news agency also recalled riots during the Sukkot holiday in October, when Arabs also spread rumors of a "Jewish takeover."
Arab analyst and reporter Amjad Abu Arafeh was quoted by the Bethlehem-based Maan news agency as saying. "It seems this is now a usual event in Jerusalem, threatening the Al-Aqsa Mosque. These groups try to invade Al-Aqsa daily to make their prayers there. Only yesterday several settlers invaded the yards of Al-Aqsa mosque but the Waqf guards and the guards of the mosque were able to get them out."
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Al-Husayni told the news agency that the "compound faces ongoing threats." Maan described the Temple Mount as being "believed to be the site of the First and Second Jewish Temples" and that "a few extremist [Jewis groups call for Israel to conquer the area and build a third temple."
Arab leaders and media have claimed for several years that Israel is plotting to undermine mosques and cause their collapse. Arab propaganada also has increasingly made the claim that the Holy Temples never existed and that Jews have no connection to the site.
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel forbade Jews to ascend the Temple Mount because there are areas there where only Cohanim (members of the priestly tribe of Jews) may go according to Jewish Law and there is a debate about their location. Other rabbis permit Jews to ascend to certain parts of the site after preparations, including immersion in a ritual bath.
