Female LessonParashat HashavuaSeries'LibraryPiskei Din (Hebrew)Test YourselfRabbi Akiva cites the Mitzva in our Parsha, "V’Ahavta L’Rayacha Kamocha, love your neighbor like yourself" as the "great principle" of the Torah. It basically means that we should treat others as we ourselves would like to be treated. It has almost unlimited applications, such as visiting the sick; welcoming guests; escorting the cortege of the deceased (for at least 4 amot/6 feet); assisting a bride & groom; & giving "first choice" to a neighbor when selling your home. While it is essentially impossible to actually love someone else as much as you love yourself (indeed, self-preservation is mandated by the rabbis) we should regard all others as an intrinsic part of the collective "body" of Am Yisrael, & so harming any point of that body is harmful to ourselves as well. I suggest another idea is that just as we love ourself with all of our faults & failings, so we should love others even with all of their faults, too. From this pasuk we also learn that one should love oneself, while still remaining humble.
Many have attempted to solve the question, what is THE difference which can find the common denominator between all 31 differences between the 2 versions of the Ten Commandment? This innovative article suggests that our sages already answered this with one sentence in a well-known Midrash, just most never noticed that seemingly innocent sentence. It deals with the basic difference between the masculine side of the Torah and the feminine.
Rav Kook makes some very interesting "diyukim" (deductions) from this passage in the Talmud about when to wash or moisterize (with oil) right before left, and regarding anointing one's entire body, and relates to small "timely" fixings, as opposed to general improvement.
"FREEDOM CAME WITH A FLAG”- The First Flag of Israel
The Ramban explains that the exodus from Egypt was led by the first flag of Israel. This short article brings many unknown historic and halachic proofs of the importance of the Israeli flag.
Rav Kook makes some very interesting "diyukim" (deductions) from this passage in the Talmud about when to wash or moisterize (with oil) right before left, and regarding anointing one's entire body, and relates to small "timely" fixings, as opposed to general improvement.