Parshas Acahrei Mos - Kedoshim
Uncalculated Love
Volume 2 Issue 29
by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky
The combined portions of Acharei Mos and Kedoshim are replete with the
widest array of mitzvos in the Torah. In fact, there is a choice of more
than 100 commandments to discuss. But there is one commandment that
transcends all the others in terms of its acceptance by every culture and
civilization: Leviticus 19:18, "love your neighbor as yourself."
Confucius explained it in a way that I believe is quite impractical and
quite prohibitive. It is not cost effective to "do unto others as you would
have others do to you." Hillel, in Tractate Shabbos, was both economical
and practical: "What is disdainful to you, do not do unto you friend."
Regardless of the implications, this week's command -- "Love your neighbor
as yourself", merits scrutiny.
Rabbi Akiva, the legendary sage, was known for espousing this tenet by
adding, "this is a great rule in the Torah."
The question is, in which way is it a great rule? Second, the Torah, by
placing "yourself" as the object of comparison, seems to promote self-love.
Shouldn't self-love be discouraged if not decried? Last, why doesn't the
Torah talk about loving a neighbor with blanket love or perhaps with the
same passion as it demands for the Al-mighty Himself?
Rav Sholom Schwadron, the Magid of Jerusalem, was studying on his porch one
summer day when a shrill cry shattered the blistering heat. Reb Sholom
jumped to his feet, only to see his neighbor's son, young Meirka, who had
just fallen. He was bleeding profusely from his head. Reb Sholom wet a
towel, rushed to the boy, and scooped him up. He wrapped the towel around
the wound, thus concealing the boy's face from view. All that could be seen
was a little boy and a tremendous red stain oozing through the towel. He
was both carrying and consoling the youngster when he spotted the boy's
grandmother returning from the grocery store, basket in hand.
Not realizing that her grandson was the bleeding child, she surveyed the
scene. With a confident and motherly smile she calmly declared, "don't
worry, Hashem will take care! The boy's cut will be fine!"
As she was about to proceed on her merry way, the towel slipped from the
boy's face, revealing it to his smiling grandmother. Immediately the calm
was shattered.
"Meirka!" She shrieked in an uncontrollable panic. "Oy! Help! Somebody do
something for my Meirka! Quick get a doctor! What is going to be? Get an
ambulance!"
The panic-driven call to arms was heard throughout the Jerusalem apartments
overlooking the scene. And from all of the windows heads appeared, and
sweet motherly voices were heard saying, "Don't worry, Hashem will take
care! I'm sure the little cut will be fine!"
The Alter of Slobodka, Rav Nosson Zvi Finkel, explained. The Torah
understood that many of our mitzvos are done with great calculation. We
constantly think and debate, "how much should I spend for an esrog ? How do
I appropriate my charities?" It is only fitting to spend great thought and
time in doing a complex act of service to Hashem. But there is also
another type of mitzvah -- love your neighbor. That mitzvah is different.
It should be performed naturally. Love your neighbor the same way that you
love yourself. Totally uncalculated, and unmitigated, just like loving
yourself. Like a grandmother's love to little Meirka. That love should not
be demonstrated in the sermonic singsong of a reassuring preacher. It
should come as natural as the piercing cry of a concerned Bubby. "That,"
says Rabbi Akiva, "is a great rule in the Torah."
* Rav Sholom Scwhdron is known world over for his brilliant, witty and
insightful oratory. Many of his stories and experiences have been compiled
into the "Magid Series", written by Rabbi Paysach Krohn and published by
Mesorah Publications.
Alter of Slobodka, Rav Nosson Zvi Finkel, (1849-1927) founded the Slobodka
Yeshiva. He was a main catalyst in the growth of Torah in Europe before
World War II and his students established major Yeshivos in the US after
the Holocaust.
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