Mother of All Mitzvahs?

Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

May 10-11, 2024 • 3 Iyar 5784 • Kedoshim (Lev 19-20).

The goal of this blog is get back to basics at the Shabbat table.
Dedicated to my dear mother, may she be always well!

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You may have heard me say this before but it's worth saying again. Maybe even at your Shabbat table....

If you ask any card-carrying rabbi,

"What's the most important mitzvah in the Torah?"

- what's the expected answer?

Will it be the first of the 10 Commandments - that God is your god?

Will it be, Don't worship idols?

Will it be, Thou shalt pray every day?

This is a good litmus test to see if any rabbi is worthy of the title. Try it out on every rabbi you know. 

For any rabbi worthy of the title should answer with three words:

[Hebrew] V'ahavta l'rayacha kamocha.

[English] Love your neighbor.

Love your neighbor is the bedrock of all of Judaism. Everything else is commentary on that.

For many mitzvahs, it's obvious, right? Don't steal, don't murder. Even honoring your parents could be construed as a love-your-neighbor precept.

However (maybe this will stump your table): Aren't there many mitzvahs that have nothing to do with loving your neighbor? What about (for example) not eating shellfish - what does that have to do with loving your neighbor? What about eating matzah on Pesach - let's say someone has a Seder all alone - where's the "love your neighbor" in that?

Crazy rabbis? What do you think?


Shabbat Shalom


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