20
votes
"Love thy neighbour as thyself" while reviewing academic papers
You have restricted your understanding of “neighbour” to the author of the paper.
If, however, you considered the neighbour to be the other possible readers of the paper (of whom there are of ...
- 45.9k
16
votes
Accepted
Story of love sick tree
Sounds like you are referring to this
מדרש רבה במדבר פרשה ג פסקה א
"ר תנחומא מעשה בתמרה אחת שהיתה עומדת בחמתן ולא היתה עושה פירות והיו מרכיבין אותה ולא עשתה פירות אמר להם דקלי תמרה היא רואה ...
- 12.6k
10
votes
Does ‘Love Your Neighbor As Yourself’ apply only to Jews?
The answer is in the passuk itself: “lirayacha” - your fellow, which always comes to include all Jews.
The Rambam makes this point explicitly in De’os 4:3:
מִצְוָה עַל כָּל אָדָם לֶאֱהֹב אֶת כָּל ...
- 33.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Ahavat haGer – Geirei Tzedek or Toshvim?
The Rambam is explicit that the mitzvah of Loving the Ger applies to a convert who has "entered under the wings of the Divine presence" ie. A Ger Tzedek who has converted to Judaism, and is ...
- 15.1k
9
votes
Would marriage really not solve this man's problem?
This question is based on a misquote of the Talmud. Here is the actual text:
ולינסבה מינסב לא מייתבה דעתיה כדר' יצחק דא"ר יצחק מיום שחרב בית המקדש ניטלה טעם ביאה וניתנה לעוברי עבירה שנאמר (משלי ט, ...
- 6,374
9
votes
Does HaShem ever say I Love you?
Deuteronomy 7:8 the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers
Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord appeared to him long ago, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I ...
- 127
6
votes
where do we learn about the importance of Ahavat Yisrael?
I think the sources you are referring to are:
Yerushalmi Pe'ah, 1, 1
Bemidbar Rabbah 19, 1
Midrash Tanchuma Bemidbar, 19, 4
Devarim Rabbah 5, 10
Here's an example from the Yerushalmi (they're all ...
- 3,784
6
votes
"Love thy neighbour as thyself" while reviewing academic papers
None of the principles that you cited imply that your line of thinking should be identical to that of your neighbor. Your reasoning does not make sense. There absolutely is value in making sure that ...
- 24.4k
6
votes
Accepted
Can we hasten Moshiach's coming through the mitzvah of ואהבת לרעך כמוך?
This idea can be found in Medrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1:
וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שֶׁאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאֲלִין עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻּלָּן אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה וּבָעֵת הַהִיא ...
- 3,809
6
votes
Does ‘Love Your Neighbor As Yourself’ apply only to Jews?
This is indeed how Sefer HaChinukh (mitsva 243) understands it
To love [with] love of the soul each one of Israel - meaning to say
that we have compassion for an Israelite and for his money, [...
- 43.6k
6
votes
How can one learn to love our Creator?
Rambam Yesodey Hatora 2 gives one way to do that:
But how may one discover the way to love and fear Him? When man will reflect concerning His works, and His great and wonderful creatures,1 and will ...
- 24.7k
6
votes
Does HaShem ever say I Love you?
אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְהוָה וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּמָּה אֲהַבְתָּנוּ הֲלוֹא־אָח עֵשָׂו לְיַעֲקֹב נְאֻם־יְהוָה וָאֹהַב אֶת־יַעֲקֹב׃
I have shown you love, said the LORD. But you ask, “How have You shown ...
- 42.9k
5
votes
why love your neighbor as yourself?
Rabbi Aqiva and Ben Azzai have a dispute as to what is the overriding principle behind the Torah. According to R' Aqiva, it is "love your peer as yourself", and according to Ben Azzai, it is "these ...
- 8,740
5
votes
If the Torah tells us to love the stranger, וַאֲהַבְתֶּם, אֶת-הַגֵּר is there a command to love one's husband/wife?
ואהבת לרעך כמוך includes loving ones wife. (See Rabbi Samson Refael Hirsh on the Pasuk). There reason a convert is written separately is people may not include a convert in ואהבת לרעך כמוך.
- 137k
5
votes
Source For Ahavat Chinam; Unwaranted Love
UPDATE:
Having finally traced down a searchable text of the [majority of the] Zohar, I can confidently say that it DOES NOT seem to reference the phrase "Ahavat Chinam" in Hebrew at all, and ...
- 5,094
5
votes
What Biblical couple is the standard for happy and healthy marital relationships?
Reminds me of the four unsung heroes of Judaism who never sinned -- they're all supporting roles to the big biblical heroes. If there's no tension or drama, there's not much we can learn from them.
I ...
- 127k
4
votes
Minimum Requirement of Love your Neighbor
Most Rishonim hold that the obligation to love a fellow Jew does not demand a person to feel a specific emotion. Rather, it asks of a Jew specific actions. A Jew must act towards his fellow with care, ...
- 5,212
4
votes
If the Torah tells us to love the stranger, וַאֲהַבְתֶּם, אֶת-הַגֵּר is there a command to love one's husband/wife?
The Gemara in Kiddushin (beginning of the 2nd chapter) takes it for granted that the Mitzva of וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ - love your friend as yourself refers to one's spouse, which is why it is ...
- 42.1k
4
votes
Why Yakov never learned to love Leah?
An explicit pasuk states that Yaakov loved Leah. Bereishit 29:30:
וַיָּבֹא גַּם אֶל-רָחֵל, וַיֶּאֱהַב גַּם-אֶת-רָחֵל מִלֵּאָה; וַיַּעֲבֹד עִמּוֹ, עוֹד שֶׁבַע-שָׁנִים אֲחֵרוֹת.
And he went in also ...
- 20k
3
votes
Accepted
How does אהבה mean love and give?
Rav Dessler has been quoted by many as saying that the root word of אהבה is הב, which means "give" in Aramaic.
I don't have a more specific citation, but I can look for one.
- 18.7k
3
votes
If I hate myself, how can I love my fellow Jew like I love myself?
Practise it via the version of Hillel the Elder:
"That which is hateful to yourself, do not do to your fellow man".
Having taken that on board, perhaps address your self-hatred with his other maxims:...
- 3,008
3
votes
what is love --- Rebbe of Kotzk: "You don't love fish." King Solomon: "Whoever loves silver"
I can't help with a source of the story, but the distinction in usage seems to be clear. A fish is an animate being, with things that are detrimental to its own interests and things that the fish ...
- 57.5k
3
votes
Feeling compassion for re'shaim and the mitzvah to hate
The following is a quote from
Michtov Me'Eliyahu chelek 5 page 70. (I've replaced some of the words 'he' with 'you' in the last paragraph to avoid confusion.
Even concerning a person who one is ...
- 32.3k
3
votes
Does ‘Love Your Neighbor As Yourself’ apply only to Jews?
TL;DR the verse includes only Jews in good religious standing
This is an excellent question, but it should be clarified that is is also significantly limited: there are dozens of commandments and ...
- 21.5k
3
votes
How can one learn to love our Creator?
This is an excellent question and forms the basis of the end of chapter 49 and the beginning of chapter 50 in section one, Likkutei Amarim of the Tanya by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi,...
- 12.4k
2
votes
Where does Rav Dessler mention that root word of אהבה is הב?
Rav Eliyahu Dessler (Michtav Me’Eliyahu Volume 1, Kuntres HaChesed, pages 35-38) says, “Every positive emotion stems from giving and flows outward from us to others, whereas every negative emotion ...
- 6,727
2
votes
Where does Rav Dessler mention that root word of אהבה is הב?
Rav Dessler, I believe, writes this in מכתב מאליהו חלק א קונטרוס החסד
After a quick perusal I did not find it there. However, others cite it from that source, as well. See here and here
- 7,440
2
votes
Accepted
Source For Ahavat Chinam; Unwaranted Love
As far as I know only the term שנאת חנם appears in this context until Rav Kook wrote:
אם נחרבנו, ונחרב העולם עמנו על ידי שנאת חנם, נשוב להבנות והעולם עמנו יבנה, על ידי אהבת חנם" (אורות הקודש ג שכד)....
- 2,094
2
votes
Should we replace fear of G-d with love of G-d?
In Mesilas Yasharim (ch 24), Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato describes three kinds of fear: The lowest is fear of punishment. This is not fear of G-d, but it might be useful for keeping oneself in line.
...
- 8,740
2
votes
What's behind the disagreement about the first words of the blessings immediately before Shema?
The Benei Yisaschar in Maamarei Sivan, maamar dalet, ot vav explains that the difference between the two phrases is that "אהבה רבה" intimates a love which is beyond the normal boundaries of this world,...
- 2,434
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