Spiritual Sparks: To Listen Is To Care

The heart of relationship is listening

Franklin Roosevelt once complained that during White House receiving lines, no one really listened to what was said. To test his suspicion, he tried an experiment. As each guest shook his hand, Roosevelt murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” Most people responded without missing a beat: “Wonderful!” “Keep up the good work.”

Only at the very end of the line did someone actually hear him. The ambassador from Bolivia leaned in and whispered, “I’m sure she had it coming.”

Listening allows love and respect to grow. But genuine listening is rarer than we think. It asks more than silence; it asks presence. Today’s message explores what it means to truly listen, and why doing so elevates both the listener and the one being heard.

✨3 Ideas

1. What is Good Listening?

Good listening is dialogue. Exceptional listeners engage in a give-and-take, helping to clarify and amplify the speaker’s thoughts. At its best, listening reassures the speaker that they’re being understood, and that someone truly cares enough to be present.

Ancient wisdom teaches that while a word may be worth one coin, silence is worth two, but only when that silence is active, engaged and purposeful.  

Listening with care is the spiritual art of making space for another soul.

2. Why Good Listening Matters

Good listening creates connection, trust and shared presence. When we listen with intentionality, another person feels that their inner world is worth of attention.

Dialogue requires two souls, not one performer and one audience.

Attuned listening elevates our inner lives. When we pause to truly absorb another person’s words, we spiritually open a window so new light can enter. Listening with care doesn’t just gather words; it creates genuine resonance between souls.

3. Becoming a Better Listener

Becoming a better listener begins with creating a small pocket of silence. We can then gain access to meaning, feelings and nuance, subtleties often communicated indirectly.

Quietude expands the soul, creating the space where listening becomes harmony rather than reaction.

With distractions cleared, our attention is fully present. From that place, we can time our voice wisely, asking questions that invite discovery rather than rushing to respond. Over time, these habits transform listening into a spiritual practice of humility and connection.

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📜2 Quotes

“Everything has its season … a time to be silent and a time to speak.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7

“The word ‘listen’ contains the same letters as the word ‘silent.’”
— Alfred Brendel, Austrian classical pianist and poet

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❓1 Question

Can you remember an occasion when you felt really listened to? What did your listener do to give you that feeling?

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A traveling salesperson was dining at his favorite restaurant when the steak he ordered well done arrived rare. Irritated, he waved over the server and snapped, “I said WELL DONE!”“Well, thank you,” the server replied. “I appreciate the compliment.”

Truly good listeners are rare; it’s a learned and practiced skill, not an innate talent. Anyone can become an exceptional listener. Our souls crave it. Our relationships deserve it.

Until next time,
Wishing you a week filled with presence, connection and care,

Rabbi Ze'ev Smason

P.S. What’s one good practice that helps you listen more deeply? Please share with me your valuable insight!

P.P.S. Someone you care about may be interested in today’s insights into ‘listening with care.’ As an act of caring, you can share today’s message.