Love Your Neighbor As Yourself/2

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Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Exegetical Approaches

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Actions

Loving another as one's self entails treating the other as we would want to be treated.

"ואהבת את רעך" vs. "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ" – R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that the unique formulation "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ" teaches that the law revolves around actions rather than emotions, as the love discussed is something you do "to" the other.
Can you command an emotion? The idea that one cannot, at will, simply feel the emotion of love for any stranger (and definitely not a degree of love which is equal to love felt for one's self, "כמוך")2 is one of the motivations for this approach.3 R. D"Z Hoffmann notes that though one cannot be expected to love any fellow, one can be commanded to do acts of loving kindness to anyone, and thus this is the essence of the command.
"כָּמוֹךָ" – Who comes first? According to this position the word "כמוך" teaches only that you should treat another as you would want to be treated.4 Commentators debate whether the command obligates one to do for the other even if doing so conflicts with one's own self interest:
  • Ralbag asserts that one must always prioritize one's self.  Thus, for example, no one is expected to help another in his work at the expense of his own.5
  • Shadal questions such an outlook, noting that any act done for the other will conflict with doing for the self.  Giving from your money or time to another, of necessity means lacking it for yourself. The Torah teaches, that even so, one must do for the other. 6
Context – The immediate context of our command is the prohibition against taking revenge and bearing a grudge.  This approach might suggest that the two are juxtaposed because they are in essence flip-sides of the same idea.7 Taking revenge entails harming another as they harmed you.  Torah teaches not to do that, but to instead treat the other as you wish he'd treat you.
What actions are included
  • These commentators point to a wide range of deeds which are included in the mitzvah, from acts of kindness such as visiting the sick, inviting guests, comforting mourners (Rambam) to simple courtesy such as greeting one another with a pleasant demeanor, giving one the benefit of the doubt, or acting respectfully (HaKetav VeHaKabbalah).
  • R. Akiva in Bavli Shabbat formulates the rule in the negative, "do not do to the other what you would not want them to do to you" and Sefer HaChinkuh notes, that as such, it also includes many prohibitions mentioned elsewhere in Torah such as: do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not physically or verbally damage another and the like.
"לְרֵעֲךָ" – who is included? These commentators differ regarding who is included in the word "רעך":
  • All – R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests that the command applies to all, as per the simple understanding of the word "רע" which is used to refer to any fellow.
  • Fellow Israelites – Sefer HaChinukh limits the law to fellow Israelites.8  This might be supported by the context , as the surrounding mitzvot relate to "אָחִיךָ" and "בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ", terms which focus on the nation of Israel.
  • God fearing people – R"Y Bekhor Shor learns from the word "כמוך" that one is only obligated to love another who is "like you in fear of God".9
Similar mitzvot – According to these commentators the various laws involving "love" are not all fulfilled in the same manner.  Some are action oriented, while others involve emotions.10  As mentioned above, according to R. D"Z Hoffmann the distinction relates to whether the commanded is formulated as "ואהבת את" or "ואהבת ל".

Generosity of Spirit

The verse commands that we should want for the other what we would want for ourselves.

"ואהבת את רעך" vs. "אָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ" – Ibn Ezra suggests that the unique formulation "לְרֵעֲךָ" implies that the command obligates that one should love the good that belongs (ל) to another fellow, rather than obligating one to love the fellow himself.11
Can you command an emotion – According to these commentators, despite the fact that verse does not speak of feeling love, it nonetheless still mandates control over one's emotions. Ramban suggests that our verse is, in effect, the positive formulation of the prohibition against jealousy.  It mandates that instead of feeling jealous, one be happy for the other and for the things he has.
"כָּמוֹךָ" – who comes first? Ramban suggests that when the Torah uses the formulation "כָּמוֹךָ", this is simply an exaggeration. Hashem does not really expect one to love the other as he loves himself.  Rather, Torah is more simply teaching that one should want for the other what he wants for himself, and not wish that only certain goods befall his neighbor.
Context – Ibn Ezra notes that the verse's conclusion "אֲנִי י״י" provides the reason behind the obligation: "I, one God, created all of you", and as such, one should never think he deserves more than his neighbor.  After all, everything ultimately belongs to God and all were created equally by Him.
"לְרֵעֲךָ" – who is included? Neither Ibn Ezra nor Ramban address this question.
Yonatan as a model to emulate – Ramban points to Yonatan's love for David as the model of what our verse describes.  Yonatan held no jealousy and was happy for David that he be king over Israel.

Love

The law demands that one should feel (and express) love for one's neighbor, just as one does for one's self.

Can you command an emotion? M. Mendelssohn notes that Hashem does expect one to control internal feelings, as seen by the fact that several other laws as well obligate emotions (including the emotion of love).  For example, we are commanded to love Hashem, love the foreigner, not to be jealous, not to bear a grudge and the like.
"ואהבת  את רעך" vs. "אָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ" – This position does not differentiate between the two formulations, and might suggest, as an opinion brought by Ibn EzraVayikra 19:18About R. Avraham ibn Ezra does, that the "ל" is simply superfluous and takes the place of the word "את".‎12
"כָּמוֹךָ"
  • M. Mendelssohn suggests that the verse intends to equate the "quality" but not the "quantity" of love.  Thus, one is obligated to love another the in the way that one loves one's self (as opposed to the way one might love a material object, for instance), but not to the same degree. In cases of conflict between loving another and loving one' self, one may put one's self first.
  • This position, could have also suggested, as does R. N"H WesselyVayikra 19:18About R. Naftali Herz Wessely that the word "כָּמוֹךָ" says nothing about how one fulfills the obligation, but instead provides the reasoning behind it. You must love the other because he is a human, created in God's image, just like you.
Context – This approach sees verses 17-18 as a pair, with the positive command to love one's neighbor being the inverse of the prohibition against hating the other.
"לְרֵעֲךָ" – who is included?
Comparable verses