From Our Sages

"You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen [under its load] on the road, and ignore them. [Rather,] you shall pick up [the load] with him." (Deuteronomy 22:4)

This verse may also be understood: You must not ignore the physical needs of your fellow Jew—his "donkey" and his "ox," representing his material concerns. Rather, you should take those needs to heart and help him, "you shall pick up [the load] with him." In so doing, you elevate yourself as well.

(Tiferet Shlomo)

The Gateway to Prayer

Many prayer books include the following declaration before the morning prayers: It is proper to say before prayer: I hereby take upon myself to fulfill the mitzvah, "Love your fellowman as yourself." Why? Because the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael is the gateway through which one enters to stand before G-d in prayer.

Parperaot LaTorah

G-d Joins the Group

G-d commands: "You shall love your fellow as yourself. I am the L-rd." (Vayikra 19:18) This teaches that as long as you truly love one another, then "I am the L-rd"—include Me among you. [Where there is genuine love between Jews, G-d's Presence dwells among them.]

(Iturei Torah)

The Desire to Do Good

It is a magnificent gift of G-d to merit an innate sense - a "feel" - for doing kindness to another, to derive deep pleasure from it. This can develop to the point that one cherishes the other more than oneself.

He may find many explanations as to why he deserves his own tribulations, G-d forbid, but to do so with regard to another's suffering - is absolutely impossible.

(HaYom Yom)