V'ahavta
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ
... Love your neighbor as yourself.
Lev. 19:18
So much is implied in those words.
Most famous is the ethic of reciprocity. If you hold your neighbor in the same regard in which you yourself would want to be held, then you will treat them as you yourself would like to be treated. Our regard for one another is quite important.
But another commandment is implied here - to love yourself.
A neighbor of mine is watching a friend whom she has known for over 15 years spiral out of control. She is losing her apartment, and her life is a mess right now. My neighbor sat down here crying because of what she was seeing her friend go through. Her friend does not know why she is so upset by this.
Our lives are so inextricably linked to one another. What we do and what we go through impacts other people. And when we do not care for our own lives - or we allow ourselves to believe that others are not involved in our lives - then a lot of people are hurt.
Love your neighbor. Love yourself.
Lev. 19:18
So much is implied in those words.
Most famous is the ethic of reciprocity. If you hold your neighbor in the same regard in which you yourself would want to be held, then you will treat them as you yourself would like to be treated. Our regard for one another is quite important.
But another commandment is implied here - to love yourself.
A neighbor of mine is watching a friend whom she has known for over 15 years spiral out of control. She is losing her apartment, and her life is a mess right now. My neighbor sat down here crying because of what she was seeing her friend go through. Her friend does not know why she is so upset by this.
Our lives are so inextricably linked to one another. What we do and what we go through impacts other people. And when we do not care for our own lives - or we allow ourselves to believe that others are not involved in our lives - then a lot of people are hurt.
Love your neighbor. Love yourself.
Comments
John
"Our lives are so inextricably linked to one another. What we do and what we go through impacts other people. And when we do not care for our own lives - or we allow ourselves to believe that others are not involved in our lives - then a lot of people are hurt."
I have an interesting story to share with you along the lines of what you are saying...recently my son and I had a very strange experience. Last week, I had to take my son to the ER with a hand injury. While we were waiting in the lobby for him to get xrayed, we were talking when all of a sudden, I noticed that my had had some swelling and started to get really tender in that spot. I hadn't hurt my hand before that I knew of, so I thought it was really strange. Finally, I noticed that it happened to be in the same place that my son's injury was on HIS hand. This week, I injured my back, almost to the point that I couldn't walk, and guess what happened? You guessed it! My son started having back pain that wasn't there previously. "Empathy pains" are nothing new, but it serves to prove that, yes, we are inextricably linked to one another, and what we go through impacts others.
Thanks for sharing this!
Blessings,
Connie