My neighbor's material needs are my spiritual needs.
Rabbi Israel Salanter (19th c. Lithuania)
אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹקִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
This is the line of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his age: Noah walked with God.
Although Noah was righteous and blameless in his actions, he was not the ideal model of righteousness. [The text specifies that] “Noah walked with God,” but not with other people – he was not concerned with humanity, nor with the larger world more generally. His righteousness was only directed inward, toward himself and his family. ... When he was commanded by God to construct the ark, he took many years to build it board by board and nail by nail, yet it never crossed his mind that there might be a way to avert God’s decree and save the world from destruction.
Rabbi Moshe Alshech (16th c. Turkey)
וְר֣וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֡ה וְחָזָ֞ק מְפָרֵק֩ הָרִ֨ים וּמְשַׁבֵּ֤ר סְלָעִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יי לֹ֥א בָר֖וּחַ יי וְאַחַ֤ר הָר֨וּחַ רַ֔עַשׁ לֹ֥א בָרַ֖עַשׁ יי וְאַחַ֤ר הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙ אֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בָאֵ֖שׁ יי וְאַחַ֣ר הָאֵ֔שׁ ק֖וֹל דְּמָמָ֥ה דַקָּֽה׃
God sent a great and mighty wind, which split mountains and shattered stones -- but God was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake -- but God was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire -- but God was not in the fire. And after the fire: a still, small voice.
Before beginning to pray, one ought to say: "I hereby accept upon myself the commandment of loving my neighbor as myself." The commandment to love one’s fellow man is the gateway through which one approaches God in prayer.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (18th c. Russia)