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Parsha Pages

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

  • Acharei Mos-Kedoshim
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Love

ויקרא יט, יח: וְאָהַבְתָ לְרֵּ עֲךָ כָמוֹךָ
The Sforno along with many other commentators do not translate this phrase as “love your neighbor as yourself” for then the Torah would have written את רעך. Asking one to love another like themselves is an unrealistic expectation.
Rather one is being told to love and treat one fellows as he would wish others to treat him. This is precisely what Hillel meant when he said to the non-Jew who wished to convert, “What is hateful to you, do not do it to your friend” (Shabbos 31a). However, since Hillel was speaking to a non-Jew he expressed it in the negative sense.

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