Short story: Character, and personality
@innertalks (22409)
Australia
March 2, 2025 8:08pm CST
Rabbi Resky Ashpodi, was chatting to his students about character, and about how one could assess the character of somebody else.
He said to them that there are 3 main ways to assess somebody’s character.
One way is to watch how the person handles their money.
Are they thrifty, spendthrifts, or worthy stewards, of their own money too?
A second way is to look at how a person reacts to others, who treat him badly.
Do they return the bad treatment, or do they take it in their stride, and still treat that person in a good way?
And the third way is to see if they can be aroused to anger. Only somebody who does not get angry easily, has a good character.
All of this can be studied, but if the person lacks a loving, compassionate, heartwarmed self, his character, even if it is a good one, is wasted in him then too.
The Rabbi stopped speaking for a moment, and a student interjected with a question to him then.
What good is a good character, then when it is of our personality, our mindself, and not of our soulself?
The Rabbi thought for a moment before he answered the student.
The personality is in you twofoldly, as your mind creates a character, based around its own way of behaving to you, but your true character, and personality, is deeper than this one, and is a part of your soul.
Live from your real self, not from this falsely created mind self, which is empty of love, and full of greed only. Don’t live as the dark shadow of the true light that you really are.
To assess somebody’s character can be hard to do, when all you see is their mindself personality, and character, always painted in darker colours of being, although, it can be good, when being influenced, and freshly coloured, through their connection to their soulself.
So, we need to look deeper to see if they have connected to their real self, with the heart based character, and personality traits, of their soul, fully developed in them.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
When we live from our heart, even our outer demeanour shines forth from us in a good way.
3 people like this
1 response
@Shiva49 (26971)
• Singapore
3 Mar
Understanding the character of others is a fascinating study by itself.
A few can be inscrutable by hiding their true feelings and intentions.
Everyone looks to understand others' real intentions and not go by what they say.
As for myself, I am an open book, true to my character and do not pretend otherwise or hide my intentions.
That may be due to the fact I bear no ill feelings or envy.
I accept others as they are. That is the practical way as like a relationship is bound to fail if one tries to change the other.
I attain a soul connection with most I encounter.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (22409)
• Australia
3 Mar
That sounds a good way to live your life, most of the time, but being an open book, at all times, might annoy some people, who just want to slam the book closed, and keep it closed, and deal with you minimally, like the bank teller, or anyone else in the service industry, even a neighbour, who just wants to keep things compartmentalised too.
I seldom share my own life openly with anyone, as I prefer to keep a low profile, and live a more private life.
It does not mean that I am not true to my character, though; I just prefer to close it off to those who do not need to know, as the old business saying goes.
I also mostly accept others as they are, too, unless they are threatening types, and so I separate myself off from them as much as I can do so.
I even give most the benefit of the doubt, and trust them initially, as being someone that will act rightly, but when they do not act rightly, I seldom give anyone a second chance, if they have blown away the first chance, with their bad behaviour towards me.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26971)
• Singapore
4 Mar
@innertalks I am polite though and not walk around strutting my stuff to make me stand out in a gathering as if I am a paragon of virtue!
Normally government officials are curt but I break the ice to engage them meaningfully. Of course, there are always the few who can't be humored and are brusque in their dealings and approach.
With advancing age, I have found the plusses and minuses. Most tend to be gentle and helpful. Small mercies of life that I will carry forward with a smile. Not everything is lost despite a few evil calling the shots.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (22409)
• Australia
4 Mar
@Shiva49 Yes, if God is still behind everything calling the shots, too, not much can slip between the gaps, if there are any gaps.
Personalities can seldom be changed once they have been set up, and embraced, or being followed, though, and a brusque demeanour can not often change.
I can remember my Dad telling me when he had a new next door neighbour move in, and he knocked on the door, with a cheerful face, to welcome the single man, saying to him,
"Well; I am Richy, welcome to our little neighbourhood."
The man just slammed the door, as he replied.
"Keep, your welcome. It is not welcome here."
Perhaps, he mistook my Dad for a salesman, or somebody like that, who knows?
We have to learn to deal with all sorts, and not let all sorts deal it out to us, that we change who we are as a result of bad treatment by others too.
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