Friday, November 5, 2021

Ahavat Yisrael

Rabbi Shai Held asked on Facebook for brief answers to what this phrase conjures up and here is my answer:

Not the pshat - but the love of Yisrael, Yaakov renamed, for G!d who is willing to wrestle with G!d and demand a blessing. Only one with that ahavat Yisrael for Hashem can hear the words of the Shema addressed to those who wrestle with G!d. And the more conventional ahavat Yisrael is love for others who wrestle similarly, forging a community to wrestle with Hashem and the Torah and how best to create the community of Israel.


No comments:

Post a Comment

My Thoughts About the Akedah – 5785

As many people know, I have been obsessed with the Akedah for decades. I even chose Yitzchok as half of my Hebrew name as a direct result. M...