From the Particular to the Universal:
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
It has been my great honor to work with Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger for much of my Rabbinate and see how this venerable organization makes a significant difference for those who are food insecure in the United States. One of the reasons that I sit on Mazon’s Board is because their support of the Jewish and non-Jewish community deeply resonates in my heart. The Lakeview Pantry is a great example of the important work Mazon does across the country. Only a half block from the synagogue, the Lakeview Pantry serves a clientele that is a true cross section of Chicago. Knowing that a Jewish organization is visibly making a difference in the area of hunger fills me with pride. I have also come to learn that not everyone shares that sentiment.
Some years ago I approached a Jewish philanthropist to make a contribution to Mazon. The person asked if the food went to Jews only or were non-Jews helped as well. When she learned that Mazon served the wider community, I was informed that no contribution would be forthcoming. The woman went on to say that when the Torah says: "love your neighbor as yourself" it is referring to other Israelites. With a wry smile she said: “I take this verse very seriously.”
I tried my best to explain that while the Torah may well have been functioning with a narrow definition of the “neighbor,” Jewish thinking has evolved over time. As Jews, we believe that it is perfectly natural for us to take care of our family and our people first. However, if we stop there than we are not fulfilling the ideal of the Torah. Our words and our actions must go beyond the boundaries of our own people and touch the lives of others for the good. This is what Hillel meant when he said: “If I am not for myself who will be for me. If I am only for myself what am I, if not now, when?” I closed by saying that as Jews, our particularism should always lead us to universalism. It would be wonderful if I could report that my words impacted this person. Sadly, they had no effect!
There is a wonderful lesson that we can learn from the laws of Kashrut. I am grateful to Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz for reminding me of this interpretation. Amongst the birds that are forbidden to eat is the stork. In Hebrew it has the name "Hasidah" or kindness. In the commentaries we learn that the stork was given this beautiful name because it feeds other birds. To this the Kotzker Rebbe responded: “If the hasidah is kind toward its kin, why is it unkosher?” His answer: “To be kosher, you have to be kind not only to your own kind, but to all.”
“Love your neighbor as yourself" is found in our Torah reading of Kedoshim this week. It offers us an opportunity to have a conversation with family or friends as to the meaning of these words and then to act on them through our Feed the Deed Omer Challenge. During the 49 days of the Omer, we will be tapping people to "Feed the Deed." If you get the Facebook tag, an email, or a phone call, then do something good for someone else. Once you are done, pay it forward and pick two or three others and tell them they have 24 hours to Feed the Deed. If you are Facebook friendly, post what you did on the Anshe Emet Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ansheemet. As a community let us act on behalf of others and do an ancient verse justice as we explore the spectrum of loving your neighbor in both word and deed.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Siegel
Senior Rabbi
