Timeless Torah

Lubavitcher Chassidim are an enigma. If we had stayed in Brooklyn, the world wouldn’t have given us a second thought. But spending so much time and energy for other Jews! Why? The reason is simple. A Chassid’s concern is Divine, sanctioned and mandated by the Almighty Himself.

The commandment referred to is, <em> “Love your neighbor as yourself,” </em>which first appears in this week’s Torah portion. Ancient man - not much different than his 20th century cousin - asked the basic question, <em>“You expect me to what? Love that no good…!”</em>

The prophets didn’t bother explaining. Instead they added details. The word “neighbor” they clarified, includes those who cannot afford your neighborhood too. The orphan, widow and stranger also have to be embraced.

Over the next couple of generations the Sages of the Talmud added dozens of scenarios all embodied by the injunction to love one another. “Love” they now taught, also meant to cherish and help. An elderly person’s dignity and a pauper’s purse all had to be considered if one wanted to truly fulfill his religious obligation.

From that point, it was easy for the Halachists of the 14th and 15th centuries to measure and qualify the exact hows, whens and wheres of this mitzvah. Questions like, “How much money do I have to give, when can self-interest outweigh spending time with others, etc.” All these questions and myriads more were now subject to analysis.

Nevertheless, each successive link in the continuing and evolving chain of Jewish Halacha claimed that no new laws were being imposed. All they did (so they argued) was to make explicit that which was in fact already implied by the principal phrase, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Undoubtedly, as the simple became complex, the commandment became more difficult to follow.