וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ

(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people. Love your fellow [Israelite] as yourself: I am יהוה.

You shall not take revenge or bear a grudge against the children of your people. You shall love your fellow [Jew] as yourself, I am Adonoy.

Be not revengeful, nor cherish animosity against the children of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbour himself, as that though there be (cause of) hatred with thee thou mayest not do (evil) to him: I am the Lord.

4) "shall be to you the stranger that lives among you. And you shall love him as yourself." Just as it is written of Jews (Vayikra 19:18) "and you shall love your fellow as yourself," so is it written of proselytes "and you shall love him as yourself." "for you were strangers in the land of Egypt": Know the soul of the strangers, for you yourselves were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Rabbi Tanchuma said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Menachem in the name of Rav said, "Adam taught all the craftsmen, as it says, 'And the craftsmen, they are adam-ic,' (usually, 'merely human,' Isaiah 44:11) i.e. they are from Adam." The Rabbis taught: "Even the ruling of manuscripts, Adam taught, as it says, 'This is the book,' i.e. it and its ruling, and continues, 'On the day that God created Adam;'" (Genesis 5:1) this accords with that which Rabbi Elazar b. Azaryah said, "Three wonders did God do on that day: On that day he created him, on that day he attended him, and on that day he gave him offspring." Ben Azzai said: “These are the generations of Adam" is a great principle in the Torah. Rabbi Akiva said: "This is a great principle of the Torah: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' (Lev. 19:18). meaning that one should not say, 'Since I am scorned, I should scorn my fellow as well; since I have been cursed, I will curse my fellow as well.'" Rabbi Tanchuma says, “If you do this -- know that God made the person you put to shame in His own image."

Hatred of Others. How so? This teaches that a person should not say: Love the sages, but hate the scholars; or: Love the scholars, but hate the common people. Rather, love all of them, but hate the heretics, the enticers, the bad influences, and the traitors. So, too, did David say (Psalms 139:21–22), “I will hate those who hate You, O Lord, and I will despise those who rise up against You. With the utmost hatred I will hate them. They will become my enemies.” But it also says (Leviticus 19:18), “You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Eternal.” [What is the reason? Because I] created him. So if he does well by you, you should love him. And if not, you should not love him.
Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: This was meant as an great oath. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Eternal.” I created him, so if you love him, I can be relied upon to give you great reward. And if not, I am the judge who will punish you.

There are those who say: With regard to this particular mitzva of betrothal, it also involves a prohibition, in accordance with that which Rav Yehuda says that Rav says, as Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: It is forbidden for a man to betroth a woman until he sees her, lest he see something repulsive in her after the betrothal, and she will become repugnant to him, which will cause him to hate her. And to prevent this violation of what the Merciful One states in the Torah: “And you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), the Sages ruled that a man must betroth a woman in person, to ensure that he approves of her.

§ Rav Ḥisda says: It is prohibited for a person to engage in intercourse by day, as it is stated: “And you shall love your fellow as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). The Gemara asks: From where is this inferred? Abaye says: If one engages in intercourse by day, perhaps the husband will see some repulsive matter in his wife and she will become repugnant to him, which will cause him to hate her, and he will thereby violate this mitzva. Rav Huna says: Jews are holy, and they do not engage in intercourse by day.

Rav Naḥman says that Rabba bar Avuh says: The verse states: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), teaching that even with regard to a condemned man, select a good, i.e., a compassionate, death for him. Therefore, even though the one being executed is likely to die from a fall from a lesser height, a platform is built that is twice the height of an ordinary person in order to ensure a quick and relatively painless death. The Gemara challenges: If so, they should raise the platform even higher. The Gemara answers: This is not done, because if the condemned man were pushed from a higher platform, he would become seriously disfigured, and this would no longer be considered a compassionate form of death.

It is a rabbinic positive precept to visit the sick, comfort the mourners, escort the dead, dower the bride, accompany the [departing] guests — — as well as to cheer the bride and the groom, and to assist them in whatever they need. Even though all these precepts are of rabbinic origin, they are implied in the biblical verse: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18); that is, whatever you would have others do to you, do to your brothers in Torah and precepts.

The commandment of love of Israel: To love [with] love of the soul each one of Israel - meaning to say that we have compassion for an Israelite and for his money, [just] like a person has compassion for himself and for his [own] money; as it stated (Leviticus 19:18), "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 31a), "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow." And they said in Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 4:12, "Rabbi Akiva said, 'This is a great principle in the Torah'" - meaning to say that many commandments are dependent upon it. As one that loves his fellow like himself will not steal his money, have adultery with his wife, cheat his money from him nor hurt him from any angle. And so [too,] are there several other commandments dependent on this - the thing is well-known [revealed] to all who have intellect.

AND THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. This is an expression by way of overstatement, for a human heart is not able to accept a command to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Moreover, Rabbi Akiba has already come and taught, “Your life takes precedence over the life of your fellow-being.” Rather, the commandment of the Torah means that one is to love one’s fellow-being in all matters, as one loves all good for oneself. It is possible that since it does not say “and thou shalt love ‘eth rei’acha’ as thyself,” but instead it likened them in the word ‘l’rei’acha’ [which literally means “to” thy neighbor], and similarly it states with reference to a proselyte, and thou shalt love ‘lo’ (him) [but literally: “to” him] as thyself, that the meaning thereof is to equate the love of both [himself and his neighbor, or himself and the proselyte] in his mind. For sometimes a person will love his neighbor in certain matters, such as doing good to him in material wealth but not with wisdom and similar matters. But if he loves him completely, he will want his beloved friend to gain riches, properties, honor, knowledge and wisdom. However [because of human nature] he will still not want him to be his equal, for there will always be a desire in his heart that he should have more of these good things than his neighbor. Therefore Scripture commanded that this degrading jealousy should not exist in his heart, but instead a person should love to do abundance of good for his fellow-being as he does for himself, and he should place no limitations upon his love for him. It is for this reason that it is said of Jonathan’s [love for David], for he loved him as he loved his own soul, because Jonathan had removed [altogether] the attribute of jealousy from his heart, and he said [to David], and thou shalt be king over Israel, etc.
Our Rabbis have already explained the matters of taking vengeance and guarding a grudge [which are here forbidden], that they apply to cases where there is no monetary obligation, such as, “Lend me your sickle, lend me your hatchet.” For in a case where his friend owes him money, such as because of damage that he caused him or for similar reasons, one is not obliged to let his friend go free. On the contrary, he should sue him before the court and receive payment from him, on the basis of the verse which states, as he hath done, so shall it be done to him, and he [who caused the damage] is himself obliged to pay just as he must pay back that which he borrowed or robbed; and how much more so in matters of life, [the next of kin] should take vengeance and guard the grudge against the murderer, until the blood of his brother be redeemed by a court that will render judgment according to the laws of the Torah.

The Torah was very shrewd in giving these directives to the Israelite in a staggered form. 1) First of all, one is not to hate a fellow Jew; 2) next, one is not take revenge for something a fellow Jew has done to him; 3) one is not even to bear a grudge; 4) one is to love one's fellow Jew. The Torah uses 2 different descriptions for a fellow Jew, a) "your brother;" b) "your colleague" or "member of your people." This tells us that the legislation applies only to Jews who basically are Torah-observant but with whom you have a disagreement of a personal nature. If your hatred for them is due to such a Jew displaying his disdain for the Jewish religion one must not only not love them but hate them as we have been told by David in Psalms 139,21 "You know I hate those who hate You, etc."

For the sake of my kin and friends,
I pray for your well-being;

On account of my brothers and by friends, I will speak now of peace in you.

For the sake of Israel, my brethren and my companions

The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).

Rebbi Simeon bar Laqish said, flesh and blood has a relative. If he is rich, he acknowledges him. If he is poor, he disawovs him. But the Holy One, praise to Him, is not like this; even if Israel is in deepest distress, He calls them My brothers and My friends. What is the reason (Ps. 122:8): “For My brothers and friends.” Rebbi Abun, Rebbi Aḥa, and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: flesh and blood has a relative. If he is a philosopher, he says: “This X is related to us.” But the Holy One, praise to Him, calls all of Israel relatives; that is what is written (Ps. 148:14): “He raises the fortunes of His people.”

Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.”

וישאלו איש מאת רעהו, “let them each ask from their fellow Egyptian male, etc.” This “request” was not similar to a man or a woman asking his or her respective neighbour for some tool on the understanding that after he or she has finished using it it would be returned it to its owner. Here G’d’s instructions were to ask for the respective items as outright gifts. It was understood that G’d would make the Egyptians feel well disposed toward the Israelites so that they would willingly comply with their requests for such gifts. The last thing G’d had in mind was that the Israelites, at the very moment when their redemption was at hand, would leave behind the impression that they had fooled their neighbours and pretended that they would give back the items in question. According to Jewish law whenever a servant is released from service after he has toiled for the agreed period of time, he is entitled to receive a stake from his erstwhile master to enable him to start his economic independence. This is spelled out in Deut. 15, 13-14: “but when you send him away free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. Furnish him out of your flocks, your threshing floor, and vat, with which the Lord has blessed you.” If this law applies to treatment of a fellow Jewish servant whose wages the master has paid six years in advance, how much more so were the Jewish slaves in Egypt entitled to receive some silver trinkets in compensation for over 200 years of slavery for which no wages had ever been paid.
We may find the expression רעהו both in the masculine and the feminine form as peculiar when applied to Egyptians who could hardly be described as equal to the Israelites so that this definition would apply. We have to answer that prior to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai all human beings were treated as equal before the law. Hence the expression רע “fellow human being” was appropriate. Ever since the giving of the Torah Gentiles are not again referred to by that description. Seeing that G’d had offered the Torah to the Gentile nations and they had refused it they no longer qualified as equals. Henceforth Jews were described as brothers and companions of G’d as we know from Psalms 122,8: “for the sake of My brothers and friends, I pray for your well-being.” Our sages in Baba Kama 113 explain the phrase לכל אבדת אחיך (Deut. 22,3) as “your brother, but not a Gentile.” In other words, a Jew does not have to go out of his way to restore lost property to a Gentile seeing he is not his brother anymore. The same law applies to the prohibition of charging or paying interest to others. While the Torah forbids this inasmuch as it writes: “you must not charge interest to your brother” (Deut. 23,20), this excludes those whom the Torah does not recognize as our brothers, i.e. the Gentile.

Afterward his brother came out, on whose hand was the crimson thread; he was named Zerah.

Then his brother emerged—the one upon whose hand was the scarlet thread. He named him Zorach.

Genesis 38,28. “while she was in labor, one of them put ‎out his hand, etc.;” “when he subsequently withdrew his hand, ‎etc.,” “afterwards his brother emerged (completely); he called him ‎Peretz, and he called his brother Zerach.” The name ‎זרח‎, ‎reflects what we are told in Niddah 30 that as long as an ‎embryo is still within the womb of its mother, a light keeps ‎shining above its head. This light enables the embryo to see from ‎one end of the earth to the other. The Talmud uses this parable ‎to describe that as long as the embryo is as innocent of sin as was ‎Adam before he sinned when he could see all parts of the globe, ‎the embryo is in a similarly sublime condition. When it enters our ‎world upon leaving its mother’s womb, an angel slaps his face so ‎that the infant promptly forgets all it had known thus far, and ‎experiences a new awakening which includes its ability to ‎dedicate itself exclusively to the service of its Creator. It is G’d’s ‎will that man’s spiritual maturity will be attained not as a gift ‎sent from heaven, but after he has undergone trials, so that the ‎accomplishment, when it is attained, is the result of his own ‎efforts though aided by G’d once man has initiated it.
‎ This is what the Zohar 1,77 alludes to as ‎אתערותא ‏דלעילה‎, quoting Isaiah 62,6 and psalms 83,2 “do not keep silent,” ‎or “you who make mention of Hashem take no rest,” so ‎that there will always be an awakening from below, as a result of ‎which an awakening from above is aroused. At the same time, so ‎that man does not think that everything in our “lower” world is ‎by definition, irreparably evil, and that all the pleasurable ‎experiences on earth are not only transient, but contribute to our ‎becoming victims of the evil urge, G’d maintains a “window of ‎opportunity,” that is open to a higher world by means of which it ‎is possible to sublimate experiences on earth, hallow them and ‎thus make them instruments of our service of the Lord and our ‎coming ever closer to Him. In other words, man has not been ‎placed on earth in order to negate earth, but in order to be G’d’s ‎tool that elevates the material universe to serve the ‎aggrandizement of His name universally. In kabbalistic parlance, ‎the tool G’d holds out to us humans is called “white light,” as ‎opposed to the physical light that we make use of everyday that ‎is perceived by contrast as “black light.” [I have rephrased ‎some of our author’s words in order to make them easier to ‎follow. Ed.]‎
The author proceeds to explain the description of the twins ‎Peretz and Zerach in terms of the concepts we have just ‎explained. The word ‎פרץ‎, breaking forth, bursting out of one’s ‎mould, describes that on doing this the infant suddenly sees ‎brilliant light, ‎זרח‎. A “dark” womb has suddenly been opened with ‎a vista to overpowering light. In light of that experience the ‎newly born is likely to opt for a denial of all that reminds him of ‎his previous dark, opaque existence. When the infant extends his ‎hand into this brilliant world, G’d extended to this newly born ‎‎(not quite) a glimpse of overpowering light as encouragement, ‎before the soul had a chance to taste all that is wrong and evil on ‎earth. On the other hand, immediately thereafter, in order not to ‎hand man his salvation on a platter so that he cannot claim a ‎share in having personally achieved spiritual maturity, this ‎‎“hand” was withdrawn and replaced by the “twin” brother, ‎symbolizing that life on earth is a “two edged sword.” The author ‎informs us that the Jewish people, though one people, are on ‎occasion referred to as ‎אחים‎, brothers, as in psalms 122,9 ‎למען אחי ‏ורעי‎, “for the sake of my brothers and companions,” so that his ‎allegorical exegesis of why the Torah describes the birth of these ‎twins in such detail appears amply justified.‎

(14) How is it to be redeemed? We evaluate how much a person would be willing to give for the right for this firstborn to be his so that he will have the right to give it to whichever priest he desires, to his relative or his friend. Whoever gives this amount may take the firstborn and give it to whichever priest he desires. The money is given for the sake of improvements to the Temple.