We have been discussing the middah of complaining. The Mishna in Baba Metzia, (chapter 6, Mishna 1) says, “ Someone who hires workers and they fool each other, they only have complaints on each other. “ In other words, if I told Jack to hire painters for me for $100 an hour and Jack found painters and offered them $80 an hour and they took the job, and then later find out that I originally offered $100 an hour (Jack is not profiting from the difference he’s just doing me a favor saving me money), it’s not right for Jack to take the money away from them for no reason. If someone is willing to pay, there’s no reason to do that. Therefore, the fellows that were hired have a right to complain to the middleman. That is what the Mishna says. Rabbi Yisrael Salantar, in his sefer Or Yisrael wonders what it means that he has a “ right ” to complain. Can’t someone just complain if they want to? The answer is no. You need a rights. Just like if somebody dents your car, you have a right to ask him for money, and there are legal rights for monetary compensation in our Torah, there are certain situations where you have a right to complain. You have a right to tell somebody that what they did wasn’t right. But, he says in other cases, when you don’t have a right to complain, complaining is an improper activity. If someone owes you $100 and you forgive the debt, then you don’t have a right to go back and ask him for the money. The same thing is true when it comes to the rights of complaint. Once somebody has been appeased and has forgiven the person, he no longer has the right to complain. And if that person does complain, he is illegally complaining. When you forgive the person, you give up your right to complain. Rav Salantar offers a good way to stop having complaints against people. Just day to yourself (or to the person), “I am mochel him/I fully forgive him, ” and then afterwards, if you have a complaint against him, it is improper. And since no one wants to act improperly, this will prevent the complaining. Just like nobody would try to reclaim a debt that they already forgave, you can’t reclaim a complaint that you forgave. Of course, this is regarding great Baalei Mussar, who are in great control of all of their emotions and actions. But the main take-away lesson for us is that complaints are not a right in all circumstances. You have to have a right to complain, and you need the T orah, a rabbi, and learning, in order to know when you have the right, and don’t have the right to complain. When you don’t have the right to complain, in the words of Rav Salantar, it is a great sin. Have a wonderful day.