Israel · Religions
Jewish 74.8%, Muslim
17.6%, Christian 2%, Druze 1.6%, other 4% (2015)
Love neighbor in the
Torah
The
Torah states “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). Rabbi Akiva
stated “this is a major tenet in the Torah.” In a midrash we find the following
parable of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.
Several people were sailing in a ship.
Several people were sailing in a ship.
One
takes out a drill
and
begins drilling into the floor of the ship.
“What are you
doing?”
the others ask excitedly.
“Why should you care?” was the reply.
“Aren’t
I drilling only under my place?”
This
parable illustrates for us how dependent we are on each other. The connection
we have is a crucial connection. When one of the ties are broken, and we begin
going our own way and doing our own thing – like the man in the ship – we must
know that we are not just affecting ourselves.
We are
really a singular unit which is referred to as “Klal Yisroel,” the composite
Jewish people. We are like a tree which is only the sum of all of its parts. We
see that there are differing aspects of the tree, roots, leaves, branches,
fruits, and seeds, etc., and we know that it depends on all of its parts for
its sustenance and ultimate continuity. Any part which is severed becomes a
non-entity because it can not survive independently.
Before
we received the Torah on Mount Sinai the following is stated: “And Yisroel (the
Jewish nation) camped there etc.” Hebrew verbs are conjugated in masculine,
feminine, singular and plural. The commentaries make note of the fact that the
word “and Yisroel _camped_” is written uncharacteristically in the singular
conjugation. This is because the Children of Israel had achieved a perfect
unity at that time. It was because of that that they merited to receive the
Torah.
There
are many laws in the Torah governing liability for damages, robbery and theft,
etc. G-d intended that the laws we have should preserve unity. Without civil
order, unity is compromised.
When G-d
gave Moshe and the Children of Israel the directive to build the Tabernacle, He
said “Build me a sanctuary and I’ll shall dwell among them. “The goal was to
manifest His Presence on the Children of Israel as a whole. “I shall dwell
among _them_ (as a whole).
This is
the meaning behind Rabbi Akiva’s statement “Love your fellow as yourself; this
is a major tenet in the Torah.” It is a major tenet because it underscores the
basic premise that its goal is to maintain unity. Unity is the first and
prerequisite step to the fulfillment of our destiny as Jews.
G-d gave
us a great gift – Torah. The Torah is the only way to achieve real unity. The
reason is that it is G-d given. It is completely objective. Where there is
subjectivity and self-interest is impossible to achieve unity. This is because
there will always be others with a differing subjective approach to life. Unity
is possible when everyone agrees that we will submit to a given set of rules.
In our societies it is easy to see the need for this approach. We are only a
nation through our Torah.
Good
Shabbos!
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