The greatest principle
Why does the Torah care so much about how we treat others? There is plenty of injustice in the world that is not our fault, and bad luck happens to good people every day no matter what we do. And it's hard enough to take care of our own family and friends. Why does the Torah obligate us to work so hard for people with whom we may have no real connection ?
Sifra, Kedoshim 4:12
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' (Vayikra 19:18). Rabbi Akiva says: This is the greatest principle of the Torah. Ben Azzai says; 'This is the book of the generations of Adam' (Bereshit 5:1) is a greater principle. |
What is this principle? Let's look at the rest of the pasuk he is quoting from Bereshit chapter5:
א. זֶה סֵפֶר, תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם:בְּיוֹם, בְּרֹא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם, בִּדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים, עָשָׂה אֹתוֹ |
1. This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him |
Ben Azzai is arguing that all humans were created in the image of God, even before there was a distinction between Jews and non-Jews. We are therefore obligated to view every person as having inherent value, and treat them with kindness.