We are pleased to announce the release of a new book Bet HaLevi on Ahavat Yisrael. To order directly from Artscroll and get a 10% discount, click the link below
https://www.artscroll.com/Books/BHAYH.html
This week's parasha, Kedoshim contains one of the more famous Mitzvot, V’Ahavta L’Re’echa Kamocha Ani Hashem/Love your friend like you love yourself, I am Hashem.
A question is asked: What does, “I am Hashem,” have to do with, “Love your friend like you love yourself?”
Additionally, the Mitzvah begins with Lo Tikom V’Lo Titor/Don't take vengeance and Don't bear a grudge. What does that all have to do with Ani Hashem?
The commentaries explain, based on the Sefer Chinuch (which is a must read, at least once a year when we get to this Mitzvah), that “Man should know (cerebrally, in the brain) and place it on your heart (That's a hard job- to feel it emotionally and put it on your heart) that anything that happens to you from good to bad, is only a sibba/a cause (it's an intermediary It's not the source. The source is God). And from your fellow, no one can do anything to you.
This is an important source. People sometimes get confused, thinking that people have bechira/ free will. Well, they may have bechira on what they do to you, but not what to happens to you. They can shoot the gun, but the bullet can miss. Therefore, he says, “When another man pains you or hurts you, you should know that it was God that decided this.”
Don't start focusing on the fellow that did it to you, because he's not the cause. You are the cause.
Like David Hamelech famously said, when Shimi Ben Gera cursed him, “God said he should curse.” It was not Shimi, it was God.
So, this Mitzvah of loving your friend like you love yourself, and not bearing a grudge or taking vengeance all comes from your Emunah.
With this understanding, the pasuk makes a lot of sense: “Don't bear a grudge, don't take vengeance. Love you friend like yourself.” Why? Because,
“Ani Hashem/ I am God,” I made this happen. It had nothing to do with him. That's why that Ani Hashem is fundamental to our story.
And there is a Bitachon/V’Ahavta LeRe’echa Komacha connection.
The Kli Yakar poses a very interesting question. On one hand Rabbi Akiva says,
V’Ahavta LeRe’echa Komacha, ze klal Gadol B’Torah/ Love your friend like you love yourself, this is a great principle in the Torah.
But there’s another rule, from Habakuk, who put the whole Torah on one fundamental: Sadik bEmunato Tiheh-A Sadik lives by his Emunah.
So which is the main fundamental? Is it Emunah or is it love like your friend like you love yourself?
The Kli Yakar answers that it’s one and the same. If you don't have Emunah, you can't love your friend like you love yourself, because you start focusing on what he's doing right and what he's doing wrong. This is an extremely important connection, between these two mitzvot, and we always read about this Mitzvah during Sefirat HaOmer, because this is the time to work on V’Ahavta LeRe’echa Komacha.
I have two interesting Hashgacha Pratit stories to share, related to this.
Firstly, I was working on a sefer called The Bet Halevi on Ahavat Yisrael, and after two years of work, it was supposed to come out before Pesach.
But the publisher decided it would be better to hold off until after Pesach, as Pre-Pesach is busy with all kinds of Hagaddot flooding the market.
I agreed, but only begrudgingly, because I don't like to wait for things to happen (when they seemingly should happen). So book went to print after Pesach, and sure enough, the Hebrew date was ד אייר. ( The 4th of Iyar) which is the Bet Halevi’s yarzheit (which was this week)!
So, on his yarzheit, the book went to print. That's interesting point number one. Interesting point number two is that HaChaim BenSion Abba Shaul, quoted by his son, Hacham Eliyahu z’l, asked why we learn Pirkei Avot after Pesach. His answer is based on the Gemara that says the Jewish people were redeemed in Nissan in the past, and they will be redeemed in Nissan in the future.
Since Nissan has passed, and we weren't redeemed, we have to ask ourselves why not. And the answer is, because of Sinat Hinam/baseless hatred. So therefore, we have to perfect ourselves, we have to perfect our Middot, and we have work on this, at this time of the year.
So this is the time of the year to work on Ahavat Yisrael, and here we have a book that just came out, on Ahavat Yisrael.
See the link below, for this wonderful book or go to artscroll.com to order
Bet Halevi on Ahavat Yisrael.