The Kotzker Rebbe: Courage to Stand Alone for Truth

People of truth are not afraid to stand alone.

Attribution printed on the image: The Kotzker Rebbe

A reflection on the teaching

Agreement from other people can feel reassuring. It can also tempt us to abandon something we know deserves attention. This Kotzker teaching asks whether we can remain faithful to the truth when support is missing. Standing alone does not make every opinion correct. We still need to listen, check our understanding and accept correction. The courage here is to act honestly after doing that work. Before giving in to pressure, ask: am I changing my mind because I learned something, or because being different feels uncomfortable?

Source note: The attribution above is transcribed from the image. The exact source and English wording have not been independently verified.