Out of Love

26 Adar II 5782

“It shall be shown to the kohen” (Vayikra 13:19)

“Kohanim (priests) are people of inherent kindness who bless the Jewish people with love. Therefore, when it comes to declaring somebody with the severe condition of tzara’as, which requires total isolation from the Jewish camp, it is imperative that this harsh judgement be done out of love, so the Torah require it to be done by a priest.” (Likutei Sichot vol. 27, pp. 88ff)

“It is time to act for the L‑rd; they have abrogated Your Torah.” (Tehillim 119:126)

It is an important mitzvah to act for Hashem, to rebuke those who have abrogated His Torah. However, this too, like the declaration of tzara’as, must be done purely out of love. The Rebbe explains, “If one feels that another person has acted disgracefully and one wishes to chastise him, one must first examine one’s own motives to see if one’s desire to rebuke another is truly being done out love.” (Likutei Sichot, as above)

“When he studies [Torah] and fulfills the mitzvot, [it is] with this kavanah, and likewise, when he prays and recites blessings, [it is] with this kavanah” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, end of Chapter 38)

All mitzvos, including rebuking someone, should be done out of pure love for Hashem, if not from a revealed love aroused through intellectual contemplation of Hashem’s greatness, at least through the hidden love natural to every Jew. Both the revealed, intellectual love and the hidden love must be actively aroused, through knowing G‑d and reflecting on His greatness, and through recalling one’s willingness to sacrifice one’s life in martyrdom for the unity of G‑d, respectively.