The Secret: "Love your Neighbor as Yourself. I am HaShem"

"Love your neighbor as yourself. I am HaShem"

(Leviticus 19:18)

Iyar 7, 5780/May 1, 2020

This week's double Torah reading of Acharei Mot-Kedoshim is a tour de force, beginning with a detailed description of the first Yom Kippur ever observed - "Acharei Mot - After the death of Aharon's two sons [Nadav and Avihu], when they drew near before HaShem, and they died." (Leviticus 16:1)

Following the Torah's account of the service of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, Israel is instructed to "fulfill My ordinances and observe My statutes, to follow them.

I am HaShem, your G-d. You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, which a man shall do and live by them. I am HaShem." (ibid 18:4-5)

Two truths are contained in this statement, which will be repeated many times throughout the remainder of the parasha: the Torah commandments are the guiding lights which connect us to the source of life. We live by them. And secondly, the proclamation "I am HaShem" is stated not merely as a fact, but as an imperative. Because "I am HaShem," Israel is called upon to perform the commandments being presented. There is a certain logic to this if the commandment being discussed is what is known is Hebrew as a chok - that is, an ordinance issued by G-d, such as the dietary laws of kashrut, or the observance of Shabbat. These are both examples of commandments that shape our relationship with G-d. But the vast majority of the commandments being presented in the second half of this week's Torah reading, "Kedoshim - You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d, am holy" (ibid 19:1) have to do with how we treat one another, societal laws, rules of social justice.

What does being holy have to do with:

"You shall not oppress your fellow. 

"You shall not rob. The hired worker's wage shall not remain with you overnight until morning?" (ibid 19:13) 

What does the crucial truth "I am HaShem" have to do with 

"You shall not curse a deaf person. 

You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and 

you shall fear your G-d. I am HaShem.” 

(ibid 19:14) 

Isn't this normative human behavior? Where does G-d or being holy figure into being thoughtful of one another. It's human!

But the greatest expression of this conundrum appears four verses later:

"You shall neither take revenge from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am HaShem.”

This apparent conundrum is also the secret which reveals the entire message of the book of Leviticus! Love your neighbor as yourself! How do we love ourselves? And why do we love ourselves? And how do we love others? This is not a commandment which instructs us how to perform a tangible act, such as how to prepare the food we eat, how to observe Passover or how to perform an offering in the Holy Temple.

Love your neighbor as yourself is every bit as intangible as G-d Himself!