Dovid Sears
Erev Tisha beAv 5773 (2013)
We are posting this short essay in
light of the principle that the Holy Temple was destroyed because of “sinas chinam,” gratuitous hatred
– and that the tikkun for such hatred is ahavas chinam,
gratuitous love. This is particularly needed this year, when division and
strife have spread like a plague throughout Eretz Yisrael. May a renewal of
ahavas chinam speedily put an end to all discord among us, and may Tisha
beAv at last be transformed to a day of celebration.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov instructed
us to follow the custom of the Arizal by stating prior to davenning: “Hareini
mekabel alai mitzvas asei shel ve-ahavta le-re’akha kamokha - Behold, I accept upon myself the
positive commandment to ‘love your fellow Jew as yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18).”[1]
Thus, one becomes united with all of Klal Yisrael. He also explained, “Through
love and peace, it is possible to speak words of prayer. This is because speech
is essentially bound up with peace, as it is written, ‘I shall speak of peace…’
(Psalms 122:8)”—and without peace, he adds, “it is impossible to speak or to pray,
even if one is a man of peace.” The prayer service was redacted by the Men of
the Great Assembly in the plural because it is a collective enterprise.
This reflects the underlying, essential
unity of all Jewish souls—hence our mutual responsibility for one another. As
our sages state, “All Israel
are guarantors for one another.”[2] Accordingly,
Hillel the Elder declared that the mitzvah of loving one’s fellow Jew is tantamount
to “the whole Torah, while the rest is commentary.”[3]
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, author
of the Tanya, explains:[4]
“The basis and root of the entire Torah is to elevate and exalt the soul … unto
the Divine Source of all the worlds, and also to bring down the blessed
Infinite Light upon the community of Israel … to become ‘One into One.’[5]
[But] this is impossible if there is, G-d forbid, disunity among the souls, for
the Holy One does not dwell in an imperfect place…’”[6]
Master kabbalist Rabbi Moshe
Cordovero describes the souls of Israel as being intrinsically united with one
another and with the very Divine Presence.[7]
Therefore, he goes on to say, “one should seek the benefit of his fellow [Jew] and
view the other’s benefit with a good eye and cherish his honor—for we are one
and the same! For this reason too we are commanded to ‘love your fellow Jew as
yourself’ (loc. cit.). Thus, it is proper that one desire the well-being
of his fellow and never speak ill of him or desire that evil befall him.”[8]
This goodwill must extend to all members of the Jewish people, inasmuch as we
are all part of one collective whole.
Yet we sometimes find that certain Jews may reject
the fundamentals of faith and even oppose the religious values that we deem to
be our “life and length of days.” Concerning this sad situation, the author of
the Tanya observes, “But as for the person who is not one’s comrade [in
fulfilling the Torah and commandments]
and who is not close to him, Hillel said, ‘Be of the disciples of Aharon,
loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and drawing them near to
the Torah.’[9]
… One must attract them with strong cords of love—perhaps one will succeed in
drawing them near to the Torah and divine service. And if one fails, he will
not have forfeited the merit of the mitzvah of neighborly love.”[10]
Disagree, sometimes we must; argue,
debate, and if all reason fails, walk away in a huff. But let us do so as
brothers and sisters, who ultimately share a common point of origin and a
common fate, and not as implacable enemies.
Chassidic tradition tells how the holy
Berditchever Rov would welcome into his sukkah all sorts of Jews, including
wayward Jews. Someone once asked, “How can you take such individuals into your
sukkah?”
The Berditchever Rov replied, “And
what would a low character like me look like sitting in the sukkah of Avraham Avinu? Perhaps if I accept these wayward Jews into my sukkah, I too
will be accepted into the sukkah of Avraham Avinu…”
In the merit of the tzaddikim who
felt with all of their hearts and souls the ahavas Yisrael that we all
should feel, may we speedily be redeemed. Then all the grief associated with
Tisha beAv will be transformed to unending joy.
[1] Likutey
Moharan I, 239. Cf. Rabbi Chaim Vital in the name of the Arizal, Pri
Eitz Chaim, Sha’ar Olam ha-Asiyah 1:3:2; Sha’ar ha-Kavannos, ‘Inyan
Birkhas ha-Shachar, beginning.
[2] Shevuot 39a.
[3] Shabbos
31a.
[4] Likutey
Amarim-Tanya, Chap. 32 (41a).
[5] Zohar
II, 135a.
[6] Zohar
I, 216b.
[7] This is
also one of the foundations of the derekh ha-Baal Shem Tov, as discussed
in Toldos Ya’akov Yosef, Kedoshim, et al. Rebbe Nachman mentions this
principle, as well; see Likutey Moharan I, 260, where he refers to the
souls of Israel as “actual portions of the Shekhinah.”
[8] Tomer Devorah, chap. 1, s.v. “le-she’aris
nachalaso.”
[9] Avos
1:12.
[10] Loc.
cit.
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