What
if someone said to you, ‘I love you, but I don't like your children?’ You'd
probably say: ‘You may think that you love me, but you don't really. You don't
care for what I care most deeply about. Obviously, you don't know anything
about me, and you don't know what love is, either!’
The Torah commands us to ‘Love your fellow as yourself.’ The Torah also tells us to ‘Love the Lord your God.’ This prompted the disciples of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) to ask their master: ‘Which is the greater virtue, love of God or love of one's fellow?’
Schneur Zalman replied: The two are one and the same. He then explained: God loves every one of His children. So ultimately, love of one's fellow is a greater show of love for God than simply loving God. Because true love means that you love what your loved one loves.
The Torah commands us to ‘Love your fellow as yourself.’ The Torah also tells us to ‘Love the Lord your God.’ This prompted the disciples of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) to ask their master: ‘Which is the greater virtue, love of God or love of one's fellow?’
Schneur Zalman replied: The two are one and the same. He then explained: God loves every one of His children. So ultimately, love of one's fellow is a greater show of love for God than simply loving God. Because true love means that you love what your loved one loves.
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