Parashas Acharei Mos & Kedoshim - It's not hard to learn the entire Torah while standing on one foot !

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Aliyah Neshama: Rachamin Ben Adina
May your soul be spiritually uplifted and judged with mercy
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
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This weeks parasha is doubled up again; Parashas Acharei Mos and Kedoshim. I am only choosing one to speak about, and chose something which I felt has an EXTREMELY important message: Parashas Kedoshim: Ve'ahavta Le're'acha Kamocha - Loving your friend like you love yourself.

Rabbi Akiva said, "This is the fundamental principle in Torah." [1] By instilling this concept in yourself, it will help you avoid committing numerous transgressions, making you more considerate to others.

A story is told where a non-Jew came over to the sage Hillel, and asked him, "Please convert me to Judaism on condition you teach me the entire Torah while standing on one foot." Hillel accepted and told him, "This is the Torah in a nutshell: Whatever is hateful to you, don't do it to others! Now go study the implications and ramifications of this principle!"[2]

There are lots of opportunities every single day, which take awareness to recognize. A couple questions to ask ourselves:

1) Let's say there are two pieces of cake on the dinner table, one larger than the other. Which one would you offer your friend and which one would you take for yourself?

2) You are on a bus and you see someone standing, carrying many bags. Meanwhile you are sitting comfortably, holding onto nothing. Do you ask him to take your seat, or at least ask to help hold some of his bags; OR do you carry on sitting, feeling good about yourself for getting on the bus at an earlier stop?

3) How about when you are with a group of people who are speaking bad about a specific person. Do you have the courage to tell them to stop talking about that person? Or the very least, show your disapproval for this conversation by leaving the room?

A lesson I learned in Parashas Kedoshim is that the answer to these questions are dependent on whether you love that other person like you love yourself. One should always ask themselves, "What if I was in my friend's shoes, what would I want?" Would I like the bigger piece of cake? If so, maybe I should serve it to my friend. OR How would I feel if I was carrying all those bags home from a long day of shopping and now I am tired, but must stand throughout the whole bus ride? Maybe I should get up for this person, or at least hold onto his luggages. OR Would I like it if I was the one being spoken about? Maybe I should try to stop this negative conversation right away!

May we merit to succeed in treating others the way we want to be treated.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

[1] Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4
[2] Shabbos 31a