The Torah in Parashat Kedoshim issues one of the most famous of its 613 commands: the command of “Ve’ahabta Le’re’acha Kamocha” – “You shall love your fellow as yourself” (Vayikra 19:18). The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that the Torah requires us “to love every Jew with a deep love,” explaining that we are to care for our fellow Jew and his property the way we care for our own wellbeing and our own property. The Sifra cites Rabbi Akiba’s timeless teaching that the command of “Ve’ahabta Le’re’acha Kamocha” constitutes “Kelal Gadol Ba’Torah” – “a great principle of the Torah.” The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that observing this Misva facilitates numerous other Misvot. If a person fulfills this command and truly loves his fellow, then he will not steal, commit adultery, deceive, hurt people, encroach on their property, or commit other interpersonal offenses. Hence, this Misva is “Kelal Gadol Ba’Torah,” a central pillar which leads to the fulfillment of so many other Misvot. The underlying rationale of this Misva, the Sefer Ha’hinuch explains, is that if we act lovingly toward other people, they will, in turn, act lovingly toward us. This will help create a peaceful, harmonious society, which is, of course, one of the important goals of Torah life. The Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that this command includes not only ensuring to avoid causing our fellow physical or financial harm, but also speaking in praise of people, and refraining from speaking disparagingly about them. Just as we want people to speak favorably about us, and not to speak about us disparagingly, we must do the same for others. This Misva applies in all places, in all times, and to both men and women. One who causes his fellow pain or harm transgresses this affirmative command. The commentators raise the question of how the Torah could possibly demand that we love other people as much as we love ourselves. We innately concern ourselves primarily with our own wellbeing. Is it reasonable to expect us to feel the same love and concern for others as we feel for ourselves? Moreover, the same Rabbi Akiba who described this command as “a great principle of the Torah” explicitly ruled that one’s own wellbeing takes precedence over that of others. As the Gemara discusses in Masechet Baba Mesia (62), Rabbi Akiba maintained that if a person suffers from dire dehydration while traveling in a desert, and has just enough water to sustain his life, he may drink it, even though his companion will then die. He is not required to sacrifice his life to save his fellow traveler’s life, because a person’s own life takes precedence over other people’s lives. How can this ruling be reconciled with the Biblical command of “Ve’ahabta Le’re’acha Kamocha”? One explanation is based upon the famous story told of a gentile who came to Hillel and said he would convert if Hillel could teach him the entire Torah in a single sentence. Hillel replied, “That which you despise – do not do to your fellow.” Notably, Hillel mentioned only refraining from doing to others what one dislikes; he does not mention the converse – that one should actively do to others that which he wants done to him. Some have thus proposed that the command of “Ve’ahabta Le’re’acha Kamocha” does not actually require loving others to the same extent as one loves himself, but rather forbids doing to others that which one does not want done to him. The Ramban explains differently, understanding this Misva as requiring us to wish for our fellow’s wellbeing, and to celebrate his success, just as we wish for our own wellbeing and rejoice over our success. We must wish that our fellow enjoys good health, a good livelihood, happiness and honor, just as we wish all this for ourselves. Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868) offered a creative reading of this verse, explaining that it refers to loving the person whom one finds it most difficult to love – one’s business competitor. The Torah commands us to love “Re’acha Kamocha” – “your fellow who is like