Love Your Fellow as Yourself

"And you shall love your fellow as yourself."[1]

"He commanded us to love one another even as we love ourselves, and that my compassion and love for my fellow (-man) be as my compassion and love for myself with respect to his money, his person, and to whatever he possesses or desires. Whatever I wish for myself, I am to wish likewise for him; and whatever is hateful unto me or to whoever is attached to me, is likewise hateful unto me, with respect to him." - Rambam (Maimonides)[2]

The commitment to help another, to give of one's time and energy, demands an enormous amount of self-sacrifice. It is not easy to tear oneself away from personal pursuits or to break out of the insulated cocoon of one's own interests. Even more so, the time devoted to others could be used in bettering one's own position, be it financially, socially, etc. Even in more refined pursuits, a person is involved with his own self. The study of Torah is never-ending; the obligation to raise one's own spiritual level is unlimited. The time given to help a fellow Jew could easily be devoted to one's own spiritual growth. Moreover, true involvement with another demands much more than the mere sharing of time or knowledge, but an investment of a part of oneself. True devotion to a fellow Jew means his joy is your joy, his anguish your anguish, and the travails of his soul yours. And it is this devotion which is demanded of us when Torah commands, "You shall love your fellow as yourself."

But man is egocentric by nature, preoccupied with his own existence. Each person is a separate entity unto himself, with his own drives, goals and nature. How then is it possible to deny one's own identity to the extent that a separate entity assumes equal importance - to love him as yourself?[3]

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad-Lubavitch, gives the answer in his magnum opus of Chassidic philosophy, the Tanya. He first explains that every Jew is composed of two souls. The first is called the nefesh habehamis, the animal soul, and the second, the nefesh haElokis, the G-dly soul. As explained at length in the first 12 chapters of Tanya, these two souls vie for possession of the thinking mind, and depending upon which is in possession and to what extent, will determine if the person is a tzaddik, one who is righteous, or a rasha, one who is evil.

In the celebrated chapter 32 of Tanya, the Alter Rebbe (as Rabbi Schneur Zalman is popularly known by chassidim) goes on to explain that since the essence of a Jew is his nefesh haElokis, which is described in chapter 2 of Tanya as being a cheilek Elokah mimaal - literally, a "part" of G-dliness - then therefore, in their source, all souls are indeed one. Thus, according to the Chassidic perspective, the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael is the directive to focus on the essence of another Jew and see it as one with one's own essence. To love your fellow as yourself may then be translated in its literal sense.[4]

In the words of the Alter Rebbe:[5]

"Acting on the advice mentioned above - to view one's body with scorn and contempt, and to find joy in the joy of the soul alone - is a direct and easy path[6] toward fulfilling the mitzvah, 'You shall love your fellow as yourself,' with regard to every Jew both great and small - in spiritual stature.

"Since his body is despised and loathsome, he will not love himself on account of his body more than he loves his fellow; and as for the soul and spirit, the differences between his own soul and that of his fellow surely will not diminish the love between them, for who can know their (the soul and spirit's) greatness and excellence in their source and root - the living G-d?

"How then can he claim that his soul is superior to his fellow's?

"Furthermore, they are actually all equal; and not only equal yet separate, but, furthermore, they all have one father - one source, and within their source they all comprise one entity.[7]

"It is on account of this common root in the One G-d that all of Israel are called 'brothers' - in the full sense of the word, and not only figuratively, in the sense of 'relatives' or 'similar in appearance' and the like; only the bodies are distinct from each other.

"This explains how it is at all possible to demand that one love his fellow as he loves himself. Self-love is innate, natural to man; love for one's fellow is not. How can a generated love match a natural one?

"According to the principle stated here, this is readily understood. One Jew need not create a love for another. The love is an inborn characteristic of his soul, on account of its root in G-dliness which is common to all souls; it is as natural as the love between brothers.

"Therefore there can be no true love and fraternity between those who regard their bodies as primary and their souls secondary, but only a love based on an external factor.

"Since the body separates us from each other, whereas the soul is that which binds us together, the greater value one places on his body at the expense of his soul, the more conscious he is of the differences between himself and his fellow. These differences require that he create a love for his fellow, and as said above, a created love can never equal a natural, innate love. Therefore love between people who consider their bodies as primarily important, must be only a love based on some external factor, in which case the love is (a) limited to the importance of the motivating factor, and (b) destined to endure only as long as that factor is valid."

It is therefore clear that from the Chassidic perspective, the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael is to love a fellow Jew because he is a Jew,[8] i.e., because he possesses a G-dly soul.[9]

This is the path to the true love of a fellow Jew. When we learn to go beyond the physical, to look past the outer concealments, the true existence of a Jew shines forth. Bodies are separate; souls are one. The physical divides; the spiritual unites. His soul is one with mine, for we all have one Father - and how can I not love my Father's son? All differences fall away, and Jew is united with Jew, one in their source in the living G-d.

It follows that one's love for a fellow Jew must be as great as the love for oneself, for in essence, it is one. This type of love is not based on external factors; it is a love of the Jew at its source with a love that transcends all reason.[10] If at any time the concern for one's own affairs supersedes one's concern for another, one has not yet attained true ahavas Yisrael.[11]

One may even go so far as to say that the concern and affairs of another should be greater than one's own self concern,[12] and the pain felt for another's loss should be greater than one's own pain, G-d forbid.[13] The reason for this is that for one's own suffering and pain, G-d forbid, one may calculate and analyze why one may be deserving of such affliction; however, when it comes to somebody else, one must always look with a favorable eye.[14]

In order to reach this level of ahavas Yisrael, contemplation is necessary; however, it is only a medium through which one can access an essential love that transcends intellect,[15] a natural love (like the love of a father to a son or the love of brothers[16]) which is engraved upon the soul of every Jew.[17] Our task is that through avodah (Divine service), we arouse this level of love.

The Esoteric Dimension

Two further points may be added which clarify why ahavas yisrael is an essential love rather than a love dependent on external factors:

1. Every Jew possesses a deep, hidden love for G-d.[18] Since G-d loves the Jewish people, it therefore follows that there is a level of ahavas Yisrael that stems from one's innate love of G-d.

2. It is well known that all souls are part of one larger soul, that of Adam HaRishon. Since as mentioned above all souls in their source are one, an essence even after it has been subdivided remains and contains the essence.[19] It therefore follows that each soul contains within it all other souls.[20] The love of one's fellow is therefore the love of oneself.[21]

The AriZal writes[22] that all the souls of Israel may be viewed as one large body. Just as there are 248 limbs to the body, so, too, there are souls that are the "head" of the body and souls that are the "feet" of the body. Although each soul performs its individual purpose, just as each limb of the body has a specific task, in the final analysis, they are all part of the same body.

It also follows that since all souls constitute one "body," the performance of a mitzvah by any one limb will be healthy for the entire body.[23]

How Does One Reach Such a Level?

As mentioned above in tanya, it is only possible to reach such a level of ahavas Yisrael if one considers one's body as secondary and one's soul as primary.[24] A person who considers his body as primary and his soul as secondary can never have true ahavas Yisrael, but only a love that is dependent on an external factor - a love called in the Ethics of the Fathers, "a dependent love."[25] Only if the body is truly viewed as secondary to the soul can there be true ahavas Yisrael.[26]

Moreover, even if a person considers his soul as primary and body secondary but there remain traces of his ego,[27] he may still not attain true ahavas Yisrael until his entire ego is nullified[28] and his soul is fully revealed:[29] only when his own soul is fully revealed is it possible then to feel an essential bond with another.[30] Working on one's ahavas Yisrael actually has the effect of revealing the essence of one's own soul.[31]

Unique Qualities

In addition to the revelation of the abovementioned essential bond between every Jew, one must also conduct a thorough search to identify the unique qualities in every individual.[32] As stated above, all souls are part of one large body which is the aggregate Jewish soul, and even souls which represent the "head" of that body are complemented by the souls which make up its "feet."[33]

For example, while scholars are loved for their Torah knowledge,[34] one can only stand back in admiration when one contemplates the pure and simplistic belief of unlearned lay people.[35] Each and every individual possesses qualities with which they can make a unique contribution to our nation. If one fails to see the good in another, there is something wrong in one's outlook.[36]

Furthermore, searching for the good in others, speaking about their advantages, and praising their unique qualities actually causes those good qualities to be revealed. In addition, highlighting another's good points creates a vessel in which great Divine blessing will rest, as the Alter Rebbe once said:[37] "When a father looks and sees that between his children there is 'love, fraternity, peace and friendship,' and each one fills the desire of the other and worries about the well-being of the other - as if it was his own - and between them there are even those who set aside their own worries and instead care for another - then the father is delighted with his children and has much nachas (joy) from them and he works wonders to grant them their requests."[38]

Great Rewards

True pursuit of Ahavas Yisrael brings great rewards:

1. When one loves a fellow Jew, G-d loves him. When one does a favor for a fellow Jew, G-d does a favor for him. When one is mekarev (draws near) another Jew, G-d is mekarev him.[39]

   "I love you, says G-d":[40] The love of G-d for a Jew is comparable to the love for an only son born to his parents in their later years.[41] As a reward for doing a favor for another - even if the favor is a material one - G-d repays the efforts made for His child many times over.[42]

2. Through the avodah of having mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) for ahavas Yisrael, one merits the revelation of the level of "mah"[43] in the soul, more than any other avodah in terms of achieving a deep perception of G-dliness.[44] Moreover, one who is void of such mesirus nefesh may, G-d forbid, lose his "mah."[45] Only he who devotes himself to ahavas Yisrael with mesirus nefesh can be sure of maintaining his level. He himself will remain intact and will also be able to restore the spiritual losses of others.[46]

Chinuch

The Rebbe stressed on numerous occasions[47] the obligation to imbue children with a spirit of ahavas Yisrael, stipulating that boys should associate with boys and girls with girls. Each should make sure that the other is keeping the mitzvos,[48] but in all cases, the spirit of kol Yisrael chaverim, "all Israel are friends," should prevail.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) Vayikra 19:18.

2. (Back to text) Sefer HaMitzvos, Positive Mitzvah No. 206. See also Chinuch, Mitzvah 243.

3. (Back to text) To love a fellow Jew as oneself is in fact the opposite of human nature (see Hisvaadiyus 5745, Vol. 1, p. 192). This question leads the Ramban (Commentary on Vayikra 19:17-18; see Or HaTorah, Vayikra, p. 106) and others to interpret the verse not in the literal sense, but rather in regard to treating another favorably (see Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 17, p. 217, note 19). The Ramban writes: "The human heart cannot take upon itself to love another with the same love as one has for oneself. Moreover, Rabbi Akiva ruled already that, "Your life takes precedence over that of your fellow-being." The Torah, however, commanded that one is to love another in every respect as one loves oneself ... to equate the love of both in his mind ... (as opposed to) desiring in his heart to be better off than his fellow. Scripture thus commands that such degrading jealousy should not exist in his heart, but that with regard to an abundance of good, one is to love his fellow in the same manner as one would act for oneself and not to set restrictions to love." (Regarding the ruling of Rabbi Akiva, Bava Metzia 62a; Cf. Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 16; see Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 10, p. 148.)

   However, in ch. 32 of Tanya, as shall be explained, the Alter Rebbe maps out a direct and easy path through which one may interpret the verse literally.

   In Hisvaadiyus 5745, vol. 1, pp. 192-195, the Rebbe, quoting the commentaries that say that the human heart cannot possibly love another as oneself, writes: "A person may think that to reach the level of ahavas Yisrael as prescribed by the Alter Rebbe in Tanya is certainly a very difficult avodah; in particular, as there are commentaries who do not interpret the verse literally. So how is it possible to reach such a level?" The Rebbe answers: "Lechatchilah Ariber [a phrase borrowed from the Rebbe Maharash who used to say: 'When one is faced with an obstacle, the whole world will suggest that if you can't get around it, go over it. And I say that in the first instance, go over it!]" i.e., go out of all one's limitations and perform the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael without making any calculations and rationalizations.

4. (Back to text) And although the "animal soul" of the beinoni (the "intermediate" of Tanya, and most definitely those who are on a lesser level than the beinoni) is "the person himself" (as explained in Tanya, ch. 29), that is only on the external level. In truth, and on an esoteric level, every Jew, even the most simple, is prepared to give his life to sanctify the Name of G-d (Tanya, ch. 18), for his G-dly soul is his true being (see Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ch. 6 and Kuntres U'Mayon, ch. 47). Ahavas Yisrael is therefore obligatory at every time and place, even though true love can only be achieved by those who make their souls primary. Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 11, p. 71, note 51.

   See also Sefer HaMaamarim 5630, p. 8, that man is created in the image of G-d, and by despising a fellow, one is despising the image of G-d. Such a thought must lead to love.

5. (Back to text) A commentary on Tanya printed by Kehot Publishing Society, Brooklyn 5753, Vol. I, pp. 421-423. (The small type indicates commentary compiled from the Rebbe's teachings by Rabbi Rabbi Yosef Wineberg in Lessons In Tanya.)

6. (Back to text) In avodas HaShem, there are different paths. Some are dangerous and require great exertion and faith to follow. Here the Alter Rebbe maps out a direct and easy path down which all may go (Sefer HaMaamarim 5705, p. 211).

   Although the path is direct and easy, every person must still invest great time, effort, and education into achieving the target. This may be done by contemplating and studying the concepts expressed in ch. 32 of Tanya (Hisvaadiyus 5744, Vol. 3, p. 1894).

7. (Back to text) In Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 21, p. 118, the Rebbe poses the following question: If a Jew would only have to have dealings with the source of the soul of the other Jew, then it would be fair to ask him to love him with pure brotherly love. However, when it comes to another Jew, where not only is the source of his soul not fully illuminated, but on the contrary, whose soul's faintest light is obscured by the corporeality and coarseness of his body, how then is it fair to demand a brotherly love under those circumstances? The Rebbe answers: At the giving of the Torah at Sinai, the verse states: "And Israel dwelled there opposite the mountain." The Sages comment that since the verse uses a singular expression "vayichan" ("and he dwelled"), it implies that at Sinai the people attained such a great state of unity that they were referred to in the singular - like one man with one heart. This unparalleled unity was only achieved at Sinai, whereas all other dwellings were amidst quarrel and strife. The uniqueness of the Giving of the Torah is that Torah has the power to bring unity to a place of disunity. The resultant unity is the greatest form of unity (comparable to the advantage of three over one - see Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 301, for an explanation of this concept). It is particularly in the arena of diversity where the challenge of unity is the greatest.

8. (Back to text) See Sefer HaSichos 5701, p. 93. Kovetz Lubavitch, No. 9, p. 56.

9. (Back to text) In fact, this is one of the novel ideas introduced by the Baal Shem Tov. Until the times of the Baal Shem Tov, ahavas Yisrael was a Torah imperative, and the one who studied Torah was to be loved. The Baal Shem Tov introduced the notion that the love is not dependent on Torah knowledge, but rather on the essence of the Jew, i.e., the G-dly soul (Kovetz Lubavitch, No. 9, p. 56).

10. (Back to text) This also explains the difference between ahavas Yisrael and the love of people of any other nation, for ahavas Yisrael is not based on any thought, emotional, or intellectual process, but is a love of the essence. See Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe, Vol. 23, p. 244.

11. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 436. There the Rebbe relates a story heard from the Previous Rebbe: Once there was a great Torah sage whose child had become very ill, and his grief caused him to weep. After a while he lamented the fact that had another child been so ill he would not have cried as much as he did over his own child. This proved to him that he was still in the initial stages of avodah. Had his avodah been true, the Torah he had learned and the mitzvos he had performed would have revealed in him the essence of his soul, at which level all Jews are one, and he would have cried over another child as much as he did his own.

12. (Back to text) See HaYom Yom, entry for 6 Adar Rishon, p. 26; Sefer HaSichos 5700, p. 157.

13. (Back to text) Sefer HaMaamarim 5659; Kuntres Heichaltzu, ch. 9.

14. (Back to text) Accordingly, we may therefore offer a novel interpretation into the verse. Rather than explain the verse to mean that one should love another as one loves oneself, one may explain the verse thus: that one should love oneself as much as one loves another. Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. 4, p. 1410.

15. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 300.

16. (Back to text) Sefer HaSichos 5700, p. 86.

17. (Back to text) HaTamim 4:45, Kovetz Michtavim printed at the back of Ohel Yosef Yitzchok Tehillim, p. 192. HaYom Yom, p. 49.

18. (Back to text) See Sefer HaErchim Chabad, entry Ahavas HaShem.

19. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 435.

20. (Back to text) Derech Mitzvosecha, p. 28b.

21. (Back to text) In the order of avodah (since it is impossible for them to be done both at once), one must "Adorn yourself before you adorn others" (Bava Metzia 107b). However, a person must sometimes start with adorning others when he sees that he has no strength to adorn himself due to the overpowering nature of the yetzer hara (evil inclination), in which case he starts by adorning others and then merits to adorn himself, as the Sages say (Bava Kamma 92a, Rashi, on Vayeira 21:1): "One who intercedes on behalf of a friend and is needy himself, is answered first." (This in addition to the fact that nowadays there is no seder (order) in avodas habirurim (the process of elevating Divine sparks of holiness within the physical world) and one must grab what first comes to hand [see Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe Rashab, Vol. 1, p. 266, i.e., to adorn others before one adorns oneself].)

22. (Back to text) Derech Mitzvosecha, "Ahavas Yisrael." Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 22. Similarly, the Talmud Yerushalmi, Nedarim 9:4 (see also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 13, p. 136) explains the negative prohibition of taking revenge using the idea that all of Israel may be viewed as one body. Just as it is impossible that one hand would punish the other for doing something wrong, so too it should be impossible for one Jew to take revenge on another.

23. (Back to text) Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe, Vol. 23, p. 188. The Hebrew word for "congregation" is "tzibbur," which is made up of the first letters of the words tzaddikim (righteous), beinonim (intermediates) and resha'im (wicked). Since all Israel are considered one body, the avodah of the tzaddikim and beinonim has a great effect on the resha'im to the extent that it joins them to the congregation and eventually transforms them to the level of tzaddikim. Sefer HaMaamarim Meluket, Vol. 4, p. 94.

    This also explains why great tzaddikim such as the AriZal used to say Vidui (confessional prayers) even though he definitely did not commit those sins himself. Since he felt himself as part of one larger body, he was confessing for the entire body. See Sefer HaMaamarim Meluket, Vol. 4, p. 19.

24. (Back to text) One may in fact suggest that a person's ahavas Yisrael is an indication of how much a person is still involved with matters of the body, and in truth it reflects one's whole relationship with Torah and mitzvos: whether they have been fully integrated or are only superficial. (Ahavas Yisrael in the works of Chabad, by Rabbi Yekutiel Green, printed in Kfar Chabad 5756.)

25. (Back to text) Pirkei Avos 5:16.

26. (Back to text) In this respect, one may draw an analogy to the idea of circumcision of the heart. The foreskin represents the connection and immersion of a person in matters of this world. Circumcision denotes the removal of the foreskin, the disconnection from the material, and the reconnection with G-d. This same circumcision process is required to reveal the essential ahavas Yisrael described above. (Or HaTorah, Chanukah, p. 312a.)

    The Tzemach Tzedek explains further that this is the deeper meaning of what Hillel said to the ger (proselyte) (Shabbos 31a): "What you do not like done to yourself do not do unto others, this is the entire Torah, the rest is explanation," - one may ask, why did Hillel give this teaching to the ger, and not to all his students? The answer is that since a ger has not yet been circumcised and his foreskin is complete, it was necessary to emphasize the mitzvah of circumcision.

27. (Back to text) Even if this ego is generated by his success in spiritual endeavors. See Likkutei Sichos, vol. 4, p. 1059.

28. (Back to text) Ahavas Yisrael, just like ahavas HaShem, is only possible when a person puts aside all feelings of self-love. When a person loves himself, there is no room for another. Furthermore, self-love leads to argument and division. Feelings of self-love can sometimes lead a person to think that everything the other person does is a personal attack against him. Well known is the story of the learned chassid who complained to the Tzemach Tzedek in yechidus (a private audience) that in the Beis HaMidrash he attended he felt that everybody walked all over him, treated him improperly, and took no notice of anything he said. The Rebbe answered that his problem was that his ego was so spread out over the entire shul, that wherever anybody stepped, it was on him! The Rebbe then advised him to immerse himself in "avodah" which would allow him to see the truth, after which he would not feel that everyone was stepping on him. This removal of ego is of course the first step in attaining true ahavas Yisrael (Sefer HaMaamarim 5689, p. 78).

29. (Back to text) In Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 438, the Rebbe explains that true ahavas Yisrael is attained through hiskashrus (attachment) to a Rebbe. There he explains the connection between the opening verse of the Torah "In the beginning" and the closing verse "before the eyes of all Israel" to be found in the Parshas VeZos HaBerachah: When a Jew fully understands "In the beginning..." i.e., that everything belongs to G-d who creates everything ex nihilo every second, and this knowledge humbles a person to the extent that he has no personal desires except for G-d's and as a result submits totally and connects with "VeZos HaBerachah," the "Moshe" in his generation (the Rebbe), then "before the eyes of all Israel" he may attain true ahavas Yisrael.

30. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, pp. 436, 440.

31. (Back to text) Ibid., p. 299; Vol. 3, p. 1001.

32. (Back to text) See Igros Kodesh of the Previous Rebbe, Vol. 3, p. 426.

33. (Back to text) Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 22 (end); Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim; in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 18, p. 116, the Rebbe adds: Since in ch. 32 of Tanya the Alter Rebbe does not only write that, "they are all actually equal ... they all have one father," but precedes this concept with the words, "for who can know their greatness and excellence in their source," it follows that not only should ahavas Yisrael be due to the fact that each soul is part of a larger body, but also because of the unique qualities of the individual soul. An analogy is like limbs in a body, that although they are separate limbs, they are separate limbs of one body, and even when focusing on one particular limb one sees it as performing a unique function necessary for the whole body.

34. (Back to text) In addition to the fact that the greater the person the greater his evil inclination (Sukkah 52a), and therefore the greater the admiration for a scholar who is G-d-fearing. See Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. 2, p. 412.

35. (Back to text) See Sefer HaErchim Chabad, entry "Anashim Peshutim." In the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Nasso 5720, the Rebbe quoting from the Previous Rebbe said: The concept of ahavas Yisrael is already stated in the Torah - the Baal Shem Tov revealed the "why," i.e., why one should love every Jew, including simple Jews, even a Jew on the other side of the world either physically or spiritually. The Baal Shem Tov explained this by revealing the true essence of every Jew. In fact, he used to send his students to learn positive character traits such as deep faith and trust from simple Jews. The Baal Shem Tov wanted ahavas Yisrael to be on the level of "pnimiyus," i.e., the inner dimension, for the inner dimension of a Jew is Elokus, as ahavas Yisrael is a vessel for ahavas HaShem.

36. (Back to text) Sichas Chag HaShavuos 5705.

37. (Back to text) Kovetz Michtavim to Tehillim Ohel Yosef Yitzchok, Kehot, p. 199. See also Sefer HaSichos 5704, p. 5, in the name of the Rebbe Maharash.

38. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 5, pp. 46, 385.

39. (Back to text) HaYom Yom, p. 108.

40. (Back to text) Malachi 1:2.

41. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 3, p. 982.

42. (Back to text) Ibid., Vol. 4, p. 1280.

43. (Back to text) "Mah" is the potential for self-negation before G-d. The word "mah" literally means "what," and in this context it is borrowed from the words in Shemos 16:7-8: "venachnu mah," (lit. "what are we?" i.e., of what importance are we, see Rashi, ibid.) The numerical equivalent of the word "adam" (man), the most sublime of the terms by which man is referred to in Scripture (see Zohar, Vol. 3, p. 48a) is 45, the letters of mah, (mem=40, hei=5). In this context, the concept of mah represents the very essence or spirituality of man. For man to stand in complete submission and self-negation before his Maker means that his aspect of mah manifests itself and dominates.

    See Sefer HaMaamarim Yiddish, p. 212, printed in English in Chassidic Discourses (Kehot), Vol. 2, pp. 406/7. In that maamar the Previous Rebbe tells a story of how the Baal Shem Tov once took the Chavraya Kadisha (the holy brotherhood) to a small and poor Jewish settlement. The people in this shtetl had given away all they had for the redemption of a captive (pidyon shvuyim) of a person who was a passing guest and whom they hardly knew. The act had been motivated out of pure ahavas Yisrael. The Baal Shem Tov showed them how through this great mitzvah they merited to reach the level of mah in their souls.

44. (Back to text) Ibid., in the name of the Baal Shem Tov.

45. (Back to text) The Alter Rebbe in Likkutei Torah explains that this is the meaning of the saying in Chagigah 4a: "Who is a fool? He who loses what (mah) is given to him."

46. (Back to text) Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 1, p. 105.

47. (Back to text) See for example Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 14, pp. 281, 353. In Likkutei Dibburim the Previous Rebbe tells a beautiful story of how, when he was a young child of four, he asked his father the Rebbe Rashab why G-d created man with two eyes, when after all, man has only one mouth and one nose. The Rebbe Rashab asked him if he had learned the alef-beis. When the Previous Rebbe answered in the affirmative, the Rebbe Rashab then asked him if he knew the difference between the letter "shin" and the letter "sin." "The letter 'shin' has the dot on the right and the letter 'sin' has the dot on the left," replied the Previous Rebbe. The Rebbe Rashab continued, "There are things that one should look upon with the right eye and there are things that one should look upon with the left eye. Upon a siddur and a Jew one should look with the right eye, and upon a candy and a toy one should look with the left eye." From that moment on, the Previous Rebbe looked upon every Jew with a favorable eye. This is chinuch (education)!

48. (Back to text) On one occasion when addressing a camp, the Rebbe suggested that each boy should make sure that the other is wearing a tallis katan, and if another boy does not have one, he should be given one as a present. Girls should make sure that all other girls light Shabbos candles.