Reply To: Parsheh of the Week Interpretation

It says ‘קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני ה you should be holy because I, Hashem is holy. The question is how can we come close to Hashem in holiness? The answer can be because we have a neshoma which is holy part of Hashem. That is the explanation of ואהבת לרעך כמוך you should love your fellow man like yourself. Explains the Baal Hatanya that your friend is like you. He also has a neshoma a holy part of Hashem. It should have said ואהבת רעך not לרעך? Explains the Ramban that it is impossible to love your friend as yourself because אדם קרוב אצל עצמו a person is closest to himself. What we are asked is that what we anticipate from our friend to do to us, we should do to him. הוכיח תוכיח את עמתיך ולא תשא עליו חטא explains the Abarbanal that when you admonish your friend, don’t place the sin on him. Don’t say that he is the sinner but people do this.