To justify/ defend/ acquit
To interpret or explain his behavior in a positive manner that contains no fault. To find reasons to excuse his lack of guilt. To judge him and acquit him.
(“Our Rabbis taught: one who judges his fellow favorably is himself judged favorably. Likewise: one must be very careful to judge every person favorably—even those who oppose or insult him, one should judge them favorably and remain silent toward them. And so: ‘I wish to speak, but I am afraid—afraid that I may be judged unfavorably.’ ‘No, my son, for it has been said: judge every person favorably.’ Likewise: he judged him favorably, thinking perhaps trouble had befallen him and his mind was not at ease.”)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
דָּן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת
Definition (Hebrew)
פֵּרֵשׁ אוֹ הִסְבִּיר אֶת הִתְנַהֲגוּתוֹ בְּצוּרָה טוֹבָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ פְּגָם. מְצָא נִמּוּקִים לְחֹסֶר אַשְׁמָתוֹ.שָׁפַט אוֹתוֹ וְזִכָּה אוֹתוֹ.
("תְּנוּ רַבָּנָן: הַדָּן חֲבֵרוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ לִזְכוּת"- שַׁבָּת קכז ע"א, וְכֵן:"כִּי צְרִיכִין לִזָּהֵר מְאוֹד לָדוּן אֶת כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת, אֲפִלּוּ הַחוֹלְקִים עָלָיו וּמִבְּזַיִן אוֹתוֹ,צָרִיךְ לְדוּנָם לְכַף זְכוּת וְלִשְׁתֹּק לָהֶם"- ר' נַחְמָן מִבְּרֶסְלָב / לִקּוּטֵי מוהר"ן, תּוֹרָה ו', ז', וְכֵן:"עָנָה יְהוּדָה חַי: רְצוֹנִי לָסִיחַ אֲבָל חוֹשֵׁשׁ אֲנִי. חוֹשְׁשָׁנִי שֶׁמָּא יָדוּן אוֹתִי לְכַף חוֹבָה. -לָאו בְּנִי, הֲרֵי אָמְרוּ: הֹוֶה דָּן כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת"- י.בּוּרְלָא/ כִּסּוּפִים, 62, וְכֵן:"דָּן אוֹתוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת, שֶׁמָּא צָרָה בָּאָה עָלָיו וְאֵין לִבּוֹ מֻפְנֶה"- עַגְנוֹן/ תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם, 36)