Ajarei Mot - Kedoshim 5775 - English

Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik

Congregation Kol Shearith Israel

It is disappointing, but still a testimony of the current times: the word “xenophilia” –love of foreigners– is not even recognized as such by the dictionary, while its antonym, “xenophobia” –hatred of foreigners– is quite popular.     

The Jewish tradition holds a particular commitment regarding the protection of the stranger.  The Talmud (Baba Metzia 59b) wonders: why does the Torah warn us in 36 different spots about our behavior towards the ‘Ger’, the stranger?  We can assert that this concern comes from our own experience.  Our story begins with an immigrant, Abraham our patriarch, and our identity as a people is forged through the liberation from slavery in the land of Egypt, the perfect example of the fragile situation people without legal protection are submitted to.   

When we contemplate the suffering of our forefathers, a feeling of empathy emerges towards the less favored.  From this perspective, we can understand why the Torah devotes so many lines to caring for the stranger, dedicating several passages to warning that he must not be oppressed or mistreated, and equating his status to that of a citizen.  (“There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you.” Ex. 12:49.)  He must be given social assistance, the same as widows, orphans, and other vulnerable groups of society.  

The German Jewish philosopher Herman Cohen (1842-1918) explains the extent of these laws: “The stranger had to be protected, despite not being a member of the family, of the clan, of the same religion, community or people, simply because he was a human being.  In the stranger, man discovered his humanity.”

This idea corresponds with the profound biblical conviction that each human being is a divine creature.  Possessing this attribute is enough for every person, no matter their situation, to be treated with dignity and respect.  However, the Torah takes it a step further, and in a bold twist orders us to love the Ger, the stranger.  And not once, but two times… 

The first is in Parashat Kedoshim, as a part of the code of holiness: “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God.” (Lev. 19:34)

The second time it appears in Parashat Ekev: “You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deut. 10:19)

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (born in 1948), who was Great Rabbi of Great Britain, reflects on this Mitzvah: 

“It is easy to love our neighbor.  It is difficult to love the stranger… A neighbor is someone we love because he is like us.  A stranger is someone we are taught to love precisely because he is not like us.  This is the most powerful and most important commandment of the Torah.  I think it is the greatest religious truth articulated in the last four thousand years.” (The Chosen People, Chapter 8)

In its millenary wisdom, the Torah compels us to love the other, the one who is different, the one who is definitely not like me.  This is the key to building a society that truly reflects the divine ideal of justice, harmony, and solidarity.  

Today more than ever, this calling takes on precedence.  As a product of globalization and the socioeconomic dynamics, practically every country faces the challenge of absorbing migrant populations.  

Beyond the particular subtleties of each geographical area, Jewish tradition, firm in its convictions, rejects every form of xenophobia and calls upon us to work on behalf of the most vulnerable.  

The word xenophilia may not appear in any dictionary, but there is no doubt that in the Jewish world view, love for the stranger must take a prominent place in our actions.   

Shabbat shalom

Gustavo