Don’t be afraid of the other person because he is different from you. There is far more in common between any two human beings than there are differences.
As for those differences, think of them as the hooks that hold us together, the reasons for needing one another.
Indeed, differences are the thing we all have most in common.
The Rebbe was talking to children, and discussing relationships between Jews and non-Jews.
Lo! While I have the greatest respect for our Rebbe, of righteous memory, we must teach our children to be wary of the non-Jew. Every pogrom, every threat to the existence of Jews and of Judaism has been brought upon us by non-Jews. We must not teach our children fantasies. We must teach them reality so they can be ready to confront a world in which Jew-hatred exists. Certainly, do not counsel to hate. Rather, counsel to be respectful to all and to not be timid in response to adversity. We cannot be victims any longer. Reply
Hashem Echad
May we all merit to learn the lesson that the Rebbe, of blessed memory, was teaching those young children. May we be as young children and absorb this important teaching. By treating every human being with the dignity he or she deserves we pave the way for Moshiach. May he come speedily in our days!
Even if you think that some human beings do not have a soul, we must treat everyone and everything as if it has been created by G-d because it has been created by our greatest Love - G-d. He is One, and we his creations are one our differences should not be a reason for separation but unification.
Thank You Rabbi for sharing the great wisdom of the Rebbe in short insightful ways.
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Re: differences
The Torah states repeatedly at its outset that the human being was created "in the Divine image". That includes all human beings. The rabbis reiterate this in the Mishnah, "Precious is the human being, for he was created in the Image."
What is that Divine Image? It has always been understood as meaning a Divine soul.
A person may corrupt or destroy that Divine Image. In some it may shine more than in others. But in essence, the essential divine quality of the human being that empowers him to choose how his life will unfold, all of us have access to this gift.
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need discussion on this
this needs a long discussion to go over this, to discuss this etc.
can you explain the meaning of fabrengen to everyone, because it really is something that needs a fabrengen.
great words, but there is so much attatched to this that we need to understand in order to USE this in our daily lives!! thankyou
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differences Nevertheless, a goy is still a goy and most likely has no neshamah. I say this because I am myself a goy. Reply
Of course Walter, all goys do have souls (neshamot)@ The only thing about them in some cases, is a failure to recognize their existance. When you do recognize this fact, all you have to do is to listen to your conscience tellling you what is right for you to do (or possibly what you are doing which is wrong), and you will be in communication with it. Reply
Rising Above Our Differences Abraham, Moses and kabbalists after them taught their followers how to live cooperatively in unity.
Through inner mental attitude they rose above their egoistic differences to live in G_d's image of mutual care of the others in one harmonious system.
We need to aspire to this unity once again to set the example. Then all humanity will rise to a new level of existence as one harmonious system.