[Avodah] Love your fellow as yourself

[Daniel Eidensohn]

Prof. Levine wrote:
> The new translation of RSRH's commentary on Vayikra translates pasuk 
> 19:18 as "but you shall love your neighbor's welfare as though it were 
> your own."
>
> From Rav Hirsch's commentary it seems to me that he interprets the 
> work l'ray'acha to apply to all of mankind, to one's fellow man, and 
> not just to one's fellow Jew. Indeed, he writes, "For the duty of love 
> that is under discussion here is incumbent in regard to *_all_* our 
> fellow men." (page 624. My emphasis on the word all.)  Further in his 
> commentary of this pasuk Rav Hirsch refers to Avos 6:1, namely that 
> one who loves Hashem loves His creatures. His creatures would, of 
> course, include all mankind.
>
> Yet, according to the Chinuch and the Rambam, ray'acha is taken to 
> refer to one's fellow Jew only.
>
>
A support for the general understanding is found in Rashi(Shabbos 31a). 
Rashi understands Hillel's response as a parapharase of Vayikra (19:18). 
[As does the Maharsha] Concerning the idea of learning all the Torah on 
one foot. "That which is hateful to your chaver (ray'acha) don't do. 
Rashi says your chaver (ray'acha) either means G-d or man. If it means 
man that means not to steal and do the other mitzvos which are relevant 
to man. He doesn't differentiate between Jew and non-Jew.

Daniel Eidensohn