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Rationalizing
Beware of those rational lies.
Published:
March 7, 2009
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Visitor Comments: 7
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About the Author
Mrs. Lori Palatnik
Lori Palatnik is a writer and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio, and is the author of "Friday Night and Beyond: The Shabbat Experience Step-By-Step," "Remember My Soul - What to do in Memory of a Loved One," and co-author of "Gossip: 10 Pathways to Eliminate It From Your Life and Transform Your Soul." She is a much sought-after international speaker, having lectured in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Central America, South America, South Africa and Israel, including featured talks at Yale, Brown and Penn. She lives in the Washington D.C. area, with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Palatnik. Lori is the Founder of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, an international initiative that brings over 1,000 women to Israel each year from ten different countries on highly subsidized programs to inspire them with the beauty and wisdom of their heritage. She is the busy mother of five children, ages 24 to 14; and her son, Zev, just finished serving as a sharpshooter in the IDF. Her weekly video blog, "Lori Almost Live" is a popular feature on aish.com, viewed by over 50,000 people each month.
Follow Lori on Twitter, @LoriAlmostLive
(7) Anonymous, March 16, 2009 3:57 PM
Life isn't always black or white.
You're right, of course. But life isn't black & white. Even things that are wrong are sometimes necessary. And sometimes not necessary, but one finds it next to impossible to go on without doing them. We can't judge people. Sometimes we can't even judge ourselves. Maybe afterwards, we can look back & say something was wrong. And then we have to live with that (and teshuva isn't so easy.) At the time, sometimes doing or saying something wrong is the only way we can see to get through something.
(6) Anonymous, March 12, 2009 6:04 PM
The thief that prays for Divine help!
Great short talk Lori! We all suffer from it at one level or another. It reminds me of the case mentioned in The Talmud (and quoted many times in Chassidic textes) of the thief (ganav) that prays to G-d for help with his 'genefa' for him to be succesful in his house invasion/burgulary. In this case quoted the thief acts sincerely beseeching G-d praying for success and rationalises the situation.The thief good ask G-d for a 'kosher' parnassa livelihood but chooses to go the wrong way
(5) David Cohen, March 11, 2009 9:46 AM
A question of who's leading whom
Are you trying to find reasons to support your desired decision, or are you letting reason guide you to the best decision?
(4) Anonymous, March 10, 2009 6:30 PM
att: moshe rosen
to Moshe Rosen: it's human nature only if you want it to be. We are Used to rationalizing that is why we do it so often. Even just saying that this is human nature, is rationlizing. Every area of a person can be worked on and every habit can be changed! good luck ,)
(3) Anonymous, March 9, 2009 12:20 PM
True
I've actually heard of this same exact scenario before. I wish I knew how to convince the person defending this woman that what she's doing really is a rational lie. Thanks Lori!