Rachel Judaica Lesson 3/24

Saturday March 28th, 2020, Love Your Neighbor

Dear Daled-ites,

One of the most famous sayings in all of Judaism (and Christianity) appears in Parashat Kedoshim, in the book of Leviticus (this is our book!): “Love your fellow human being as you love yourself.” (Vayikra 19:18) We often hear this rephrased as “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Part One:

  1. Take out a piece of paper and write down as many ideas as possible for how we can love our neighbors as ourselves. Think about things you were able to do before Covid-19, and things you can do now, in the age of social distancing. Think of big things and small things, and keep thinking until you can’t think any more.

  2. Deep breath.

  3. Take a look at this short story from the Talmud (the rabbinic commentaries on the Torah).

4. Now, I want you to start a new list. This time, I want you to think about Hillel’s version of Love your neighbor: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow human.” Your first list was a do list, this one is a don’t do list. For example, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t embarrass others, don’t purposely touch your neighbor who is afraid of contamination, even as a joke, etc.

5. Look at both of your lists. Which one was easier to fill out? Which one seems easier to live up to? Can you choose one thing from each list to practice for the next week?

6. Let me know how this exercise went for you, and include an example of something you want to try from each of your lists, at rachelmank@earthlink.net


Part Two: It’s video time!

  1. Watch Mister Rogers talk about how you need to love yourself too:

2. Now we’ll watch two videos about different branches of Judaism, because sometimes we forget to love those closest to us in our search to love our neighbors.

3. Below, you’ll find a chart of different religious beliefs. I want you to think about different people you know personally, or from TV or movies or books, who practice these other religions. If your neighbor is a different religion, does that make it easier or harder to love them? Do you have different responses to different religions on the chart?

4. Now look at the Love Your Neighbor poster below. There are lots of ways that our neighbors can be different from us. Is it harder to love someone who thinks differently, or who speaks differently than you do? Can you think of people you’ve learned to love who have some of these differences?


Part Three: You’ve done a lot of work and you deserve some relief. You have three options for a time out to help you absorb all of the big thoughts you’ve had today. Choose at least two.

  1. A sing along video for Hinei Ma Tov (How good and pleasing for people to sit together in unity):

2. A Loving Kindness mediation for kids:

3. Or you can color the picture below.

I wish you a peaceful Sabbath,

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Rachel