Kedoshim
Leviticus 19:1-20:27
Ezekiel 22:1-16
“Veahavta lerayacha kamocha, ani HaShem (Love your neighbor as you do yourself, I am G-d).” (Lev. 19:18). Rabbi Akiva refers to this verse as “a fundamental rule of the Torah.”
Hillel used the negative side of this injunction to answer a prospective convert who demanded to be taught the entire Torah while he stood on one foot. Hillel paraphrased, “What is hateful to you, do not do unto others.” (Shabbos, 31a)
Why this negative version? To understand, we must first try to fathom this seemingly impossible mitzvah. Can we really feel and have the same love for others that we have for ourselves? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch points out that the Torah does not use the phrase “et reyacha” but “lerayacha.”
The former would mean “your neighbor,” whereas the latter means “that which pertains to your neighbor,” his well-being and his sorrow. We are actually obligated to acknowledge that others have the same needs, hopes, fears and frustrations that we have. Therefore, we must try to relate to others on the same level that we deal with ourselves. A tall order, indeed!
The word “kamocha” means that we must see ourselves reflected in others, for in doing so we will understand and empathize. This explains why Hillel paraphrased the verse as he did. Speaking to the prospective proselyte, he realized that the heathen was surely not yet prepared or able to take on the positive concept of “loving his fellow as himself.” It would be far too overwhelming, but perhaps he could absorb the negative aspect of not doing to others what was hateful to himself. Anyone can understand that he shouldn’t step on someone’s toe because it hurts and he wouldn’t want his toe stepped on. To come to the aid of someone who is in pain out of love for him (when you have nothing to do with the origin of the pain) is another story.
The word “kamocha” conveys the idea that we should love our neighbors in the same manner that we love ourselves; that is, we should judge him with the same yardstick. Give him the same benefit of the doubt; cut him the same slack. Be as harsh or as gentle when criticizing others as you are when you practice self-criticism (and how often do we really indulge in that?).
The greatest obstacle to fulfillment of this mitzvah is arrogance, which leads to being judgmental and precludes caring and understanding. A truly humble individual would refrain from imposing his own demanding standard on others, but would accept them on their own terms.
The conclusion of our verse, “I am G-d,” is extremely significant to any understanding of this fundamental mitzvah. It addresses motivation. Do we observe this mitzvah because G-d has commanded us, or because logically and reasonably it is a societal imperative to stabilize society? All civilized people appear to subscribe to some form of the sentiment of loving one’s neighbor. Yet, historically, they abandon it constantly for reasons of business, ego, honor, politics or even patriotism. Only when the motivation is rooted in “I am G-d” does it have constancy and durability.
This is what Rabbi Akiva meant when he said that this verse is a fundamental rule in the Torah. It is an immutable major principle only if it is rooted in and derived from Torah and divinely ordained. Otherwise, like most modern ethics, it becomes relative and conditional, without permanence in one’s philosophy of life.
Shabbat shalom.
Rabbi Pinchas Lipner is dean of the Hebrew Academy in San Francisco.