Which Is Greater?

They asked Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the first rebbe of Chabad:
“Which is greater: love of G‑d,
or love of your fellow Jew?”

“Love of your fellow Jew,” he replied.
“For then you love that which your Beloved loves.”

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Trust for Others

By Tzvi Freeman

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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Rebbe means teacher. Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson is seventh in a prestigious line of chassidic rebbes. Even after his passing, he is known worldwide as simply "The Rebbe"- a Rebbe for any person in the world. This book offers every person a taste of the Rebbe's wisdom, condensed from over 50 years of letters, public talks, private conversations, and written works. Presented in an accessible format.

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16 Comments

Ted Lopatin July 24, 2020

"Your fellow human being" includes a lot of different people. What about Nazis, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, serial killers, people who rape and traffic little children, etc? Am I supposed to love those individuals? I will be the first to admit that I do not love them. I hate them, and if it were in my power to kill all of them I would gladly do so. I get the idea of "Love your neighbor." "Even if the guy who lives next door to you is a nut and drives you crazy, realize that he's still human, and you're not perfect either, etc." But I do not understand when this "love" is extended to people who truly deserve to be hated and destroyed. The Nazis were not defeated with love. The concentration camps were not liberated with love. They were liberated with violence and a righteous hatred of the perpetrators. Reply

Anonymous July 26, 2020

in response to Ted Lopatin:

I share you in that point: Unconditional love applies only to them, they are your fellows, your neighbors, your family members, your loved ones, you know them with your heart and soul, even they are sometimes strange to you and inunderstandible and sometimes out of reach, to stay in contact. And I mostly despise them, they need to use the history of my family, to block them in their real future. But thank's Heaven, for that G'd gaves us our rational mind, to make seen this abuse. Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman July 26, 2020

in response to Ted Lopatin:

Yes, there are those human beings who are busy destroying the divine image within themselves and within others. They've lost their sense of humanity. Reply

David Harold Chester Petach Tikva, Israel December 13, 2022

in response to Anonymous :

Unconditional love is a female artibute which a woman applies to her child. The males in our community mosty love in a way that is more akin to how G-d is loving us, on condition that we behave and do the correct things and do not oppose commandments or direct instructions.

In practice, our family male love has motherly atributes too as does the female love contain limited masculine conditions, so it a bit mixed up when one broardly considers the whole human condition.

The other point Ted about the so-called "Golden Rule" is that Hillel the Elder added to the :"Love your neighbour" instruction when he was asked for an explanation standing on one leg whilst summarizing the Torah."Dont offend your neighbour in any way that would be offensive were it done to you--that is the whole Torah, now go and study (it)" was his reply. Reply

Denise Corales October 27, 2023

in response to David Harold Chester:

Loving unconditionally involves the ability to see and understand that others have no actual point of refrence for their actions because they dont have Torah. They have no idea what is good , right or proper. Due to their lack they are unable to live appropriately. You love them because they are fallen and dont know better. They have no point of refrence and are literally doing as they see fit. They are not aware of the spiritual/mental prisoners they are.
Loving unconditionally is not a female attribute or HaShem wouldnt ask it from ALL HUMANS, man or woman.
We need to get out of our own way in order to let HaShem take lead. Reply

Silvana Zehnpfennig Bochum July 24, 2020

That is a really good point: You love what your beloved loves. In this aspect you always have G'd with you, what ever you do and care for. Thank you for this impression. Reply

Brenda Toronto, Canada July 13, 2013

Meetup with the Creator - Through Love of Friends The Creator will meetup with you on one condition - you have to leave your ego behind!

Through connecting our aspirations to meet the Creator, we join in love of friends with one heart and mind above the ego level of our nature. If we succeed we feel the higher spiritual dimension of the Creator - depending on the level we reach, we will reveal the Creaor's love for that level.

This is what the Kabbalists experienced: through love of friends we rise to sense the love of the Creator amongst us. Reply

Yehonason July 12, 2013

love of man god is perfect, to love him is easy. Now go and love your fellow man and this is where you can achieve great things in Gods name. Go what are you waiting for. Reply

Craig Hamilton Sandwich, MA July 12, 2013

I Agree With The Rabbi's Wisdom Love of Gd can only be understood through the image of Gd, the Tree of Life, which is far more advanced in difficulty than loving a neighbor. When we love our neighbor it is easier to see other commands, and that makes this command more imperative because our neighbours are more similar to us, and thus it is easier to see through empathy, "That which is to yourself do not do to you neighbor." With Gd I would think one should find it much harder to figure out what Gd is like through observing nature. Some of humanities greatest minds, like Hawking, and Dawkins have been unable to see a morality asociable any kind of Gd through mere observance of the nature of Gd, and yet this wisdom is available as Tanach in bookstores practically everywhere. Reply

Jason Israel Pakistan July 12, 2013

Amen..Rabbi Schneur Zalman i believe that he God choosen people.. Reply

Rosina Panama July 12, 2013

First is First!! With much humble respect, I must Disagree with Rabbi Schneur Zalman, There are some Fellow men, whom G-D may not particularly be loving, for whatever reason that only G-D knows, if I am showing Love for that Fellow man... I run the risk of been a Man-Pleaser, I am not Loving G-D then...No I rather Love G-D..then love Myself so I can Truly Love Others...For the Command is to Love My Neighbor As Myself..But First and foremost, is to Love G-D with all my might, above even myself, that means above any other! Reply

Maisie Torrox Costa, Spain July 12, 2013

Which is Greater In Deuteronomy 6, verses 4 - 6 (The Shema) we are commanded "You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources." It is not until Deuteronomy 10, verse 19 that it is mentioned loving anyone but Hashem. Reply

MICHELE MARTIN Monsey, NY August 8, 2011

Which is greater? - Chabad Posted 2/14/11 Answer = Love of G-d.
We love because He first loved us.
Our humaness loves self.
Loving G-d first enables us to love our fellow man.
G-d gives us the Grace to do so. Reply

Michelle Largo, FL. February 14, 2011

Which is greater With respect I disagree...I am a "Beloved"....however without my love of G-D being the most important I can be nothing that is truthful to what love truly is......G-D is love and if we do not have love of G-D first we really don't know love...though we profess too.. Reply

Lois Moss Beach, CA February 14, 2011

Which is Greater Very clear and very powerful, and somehow comforting.... felt like a relief, simple....although not easy. There is a feeling of 'the way home' about this. Thank you. Reply

mark alcock Durban , za February 14, 2011

love of G-d is supreme. The greatest love & Commandment of all is to Love G-d. Once we know how to love G-d; then and only then can we love self and beloveds. G-d is pure -holy love and we follow His examples on how to love in Bible & Torah. Indeed these 2 love commandments are summarised on the 2 tablets G-d gave to Moses, which concern the 10 Love commandments, which are juxtaposed with G-d first -- then man . First table is about how man lmust love and adore G-d. The 2'nd tablet describes how man must love & behave towards his beloved fellow man. I believe Rabbi Zalman was being obscure, philosophical & maybe irrational, too. Reply

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