Love for every Jew (Ahavat Yisrael) is one of the foundations of Chassidism. While, it is true that Rabbi Akiva already established that, "Love your fellow as yourself" is "a great principle in the Torah," the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples instilled this principle practically among the Chassidim. Chassidism, which reveals the inner dimension of all things, also uncovered the wondrous value of every Jew — and consequently, the love for every Jew.
The Baal Shem Tov said: "Every Jew is as precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, as an only child born to his parents in their old age — and even more so".
Pleasure in Doing Kindness
The Alter Rebbe said: "Ahavat Yisrael must consume a person entirely" (Hayom Yom, 18 Menachem Av). His grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek, added: "One who helps a Jew earn seventy kopecks in the cattle trade (meaning, even the most minor material help) — all the heavenly gates are opened for him." His son, the Rebbe Maharash, commented: "One should really know the route to the Heavenly Chambers, but actually it is not crucial. You only need the main thing - to help another wholeheartedly, with sensitivity, to take pleasure in doing a kindness to another." (Hayom Yom, 28 Sivan).
The Rebbe Rashab explained to his son, the Rebbe Rayatz, eight wondrous qualities that a person acquires by contemplating Chassidic teachings before prayer, while wrapped in tallit and tefillin. Afterwards, he said: "All these virtues are as nothing compared to the extraordinary merit G-d grants a person who acquires a sense and refined taste for doing good to a fellow Jew — to the point that another becomes dearer to him than himself. For with himself, he can always find reasons why he may deserve, G-d forbid, to suffer; but regarding another, such reasoning is not appropriate.
"It is worth laboring five hours a day, a labor of the body and a labor of the soul, in pursuit of Divine understanding, to reach this ultimate goal — to truly desire to do good for another Jew, materially and especially spiritually."
Best to be Together
The Rebbe writes in one of his letters (Igrot Kodesh, vol. 5, p. 219) that one of the founders of the town of Lubavitch was a hidden tzadik who excelled in love for people and love for all of G-d’s creations. From this came the name Lubavtich (from lyuba = love). The connection between this name and the Chabad Chassidim is no coincidence, for Chassidism is deeply tied to the three loves: love of G-d, love of Torah, and love of Israel.
Elsewhere, the Rebbe writes (vol. 18, p. 951): "The words of our Sages are wondrous: any holy thing (dvar sh’bkedusha) requires the presence of ten — not merely many, but a complete group. And it is known the saying of the great Torah and Chassidic masters: it is worse to be alone in Gan Eden than to be together with other Jews in Gehinnom (purgatory)."
It’s in our Hands
It is in the power of every Jew to speed the coming of the Redemption, and to bring about the coming of the Redemption. For his Torah study and his Divine service lessen the spirit of impurity in the world, and bring nearer the day which will see the fulfillment of the Divine promise, “I shall remove the spirit of impurity from the earth.”
At the same time, his Torah study and his Divine service reveal goodness and holiness in the world, and thereby bring nearer the day which will see the fulfillment of the Divine promise, “And the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d.”
The Rebbe, From Exile to Redemption, reprinted with perm. from Sichos in English
