B"H
Thursday, Shevat 22, 5785 / February 20, 2025
One of the many mitzvot in this week’s Parsha, Mishpatim, is the commandment to, “Love your fellow like yourself.”
Our sages ask, “How is it possible to love someone else like yourself?” It is our natural feeling that we love ourselves, our children and our family more than we love others. So how can G-d demand of us to love another Jew the same as we love ourselves?
Our sages answer: Every Jew is comprised from a body and a soul. The body is physical, and the soul is spiritual. Body wise we are separate entities and different from each other, but soul wise we are all ONE. At the soul level we are responsible for each other, for we are one, and just as we are responsible for ourselves, we are responsible to help another Jew observe Torah and mitzvot and fulfill their G-dly mission in life.
We read this concept in last week’s Parsha, Yitro. At the Giving of the Torah all Jews are addressed in the singular – as ONE person. This is because all our souls come from the same source and thus we are one. When one realizes this, then loving our fellow is loving ourselves. When we do a mitzvah it helps another person and when they do a mitzvah it helps us.
Many of the mitzvot in this week’s Parsha are about being generous to the poor and needy. One must not view whatever G-d blessed them with as completely theirs, but included is a portion to distribute to others who are in need. G-d gives us what we need and at the same time some more so that we can perform the mitzvah of helping others.
On a very cold winter night the Rabbi of the city went to collect funds to buy wood for poor people to heat their homes. He came to the home of a wealthy man, knocked on the door and when the man opened the door, he told him that he came to ask for funds to help poor families heat their homes.
The rich man, who wasn’t dressed for the cold was freezing as he stood by the open door and invited the Rabbi into the house. The rabbi refused and kept on talking to him outside, in the freezing cold. A while later, after the man agreed to give the Rabbi the money he needed, the Rabbi agreed to came into the house. They continued talking over a hot cup of tea.
The wealthy man asked, “Rabbi, Why didn’t you come into my home right away? You could have asked me for the money in my warm home and not have me stand outside in the freezing weather?
The rabbi answered, “That was the idea... I wanted you to experience what the poor people are going through… I thought if you feel how they feel in this freezing cold, you will open your heart and wallet much faster… In addition to helping the needy it is important to feel for them and show them that we feel for them and give wholeheartedly.”
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY - MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW