7 Iyar 5783 – 28 april 2023
“…love your neighbor as yourself; I am Hashem”
People don’t love themselves in order to fulfill a Biblical commandment. So too, you shouldn’t love your neighbor simply because you were commanded to by Hashem. Your love should be spontaneous and genuine. (The Alter of Slobodka)
R’ Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev observed that if people honestly scrutinize themselves, they will find they have many things they are not proud of. Despite the fact that we all have many shortcomings and failings, we still love ourselves. So too, we must find a way to love our fellow even though they have many issues and flaws.
By Rabbi Michael Skobac
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