[Avodah] Ahavat Chinam

[Eli Turkel]

Heard a program on a charedi radio station today on the importance of
Ahavat Chinam.
The speaker pointed out that in much of Europe and other places it is
dangerous for a religious person to walk the streets. In Israel not only is
it safe but in many places when a rabbi walks down the street many chilonim
come over asking for a bracha.

See *Bein Adam Le-chavero:** Ethics of Interpersonal Conduct*

*By Rav Binyamin Zimmerman*

*Shiur #19: Ahavat Chinnam — A Communal Outlook*

www.vbm-torah.org/archive/chavero2/19chavero.htm****


In fact, even in instances in which it is permitted to hate another, there
may be a level of love that must always remain, as we discussed in lesson
#16. A necessary outgrowth of loving God is caring for His creations, and
it is an expression of the character of a Jew who walks in the footsteps of
Avraham. As the Netziv explains (see Year 1, Lesson 19), even though he
hated Sedom, Avraham still cared about its citizens’ welfare and prayed for
them.

** In truth, the concept of *ahavat chinnam* as expressed here is actually
found earlier, in the works of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Kohen Kook (*Orot
Ha-kodesh* 3:323-324):

** **

If we were destroyed, and the world destroyed along with us, by *sinat
chinnam*, then we may return and be rebuilt, and the world rebuilt along
with us, by *ahavat chinnam*.****

** **

His son, Rav Tzvi Yehuda (*Li-ntivot Yisrael* 2, 222), explains the
intention of the term *ahavat chinnam*. It is not meant to be “baseless
love” in the negative sense, but love without any ulterior motives — a love
emanating from a basic understanding of the Jewish people:****

** **

This *ahava* is not dependent on anything. It is like God's love for the
Jewish people, which is an eternal covenant. *Ahavat chinnam* is not about
the aspiration to attain an added level of divine service or to do a good
deed. *Ahavat chinnam* comes when there are no personal advancements to be
won. This *ahava* exists regardless of any shortcomings in the beloved and
without any conditions that have to be met. Even with all of the
deficiencies and imperfections in people, *ahava* for them must be total,
as the verse (*Zekharya* 8:17) states: "And let none of you devise evil in
your hearts against his fellow." There may be great differences among
personalities; there may be great disagreements in study; there may be
great debates over the right thing to do. Nevertheless, true *ahava* transcends
all of this and surrounds all of the children of Israel. This is the
eternal love of God for His people.


see article for more details and connections to tochecha
-- 
Eli Turkel
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20130709/d8eb9fb2/attachment-0001.htm>