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Acharei Mot-Kedoshim - Ve’ahavta le’Reyacha Kamocha | Rabbi Baruch Taub | April 23 2026
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Good morning everybody. Uh our
collective shalom.
Um
we were away by
design not by choice for two months. So
I am really the official draft dodger of
Ala and I. So we're here. We're back.
Borashem. And everybody should be back
where they're supposed to be here in
Artosha.
Um
okay
kadoshim the we're going to talk about
the m ofat is from a number of different
sources a number of different ideas and
the first piece I have here is
interestingly enough from ravy kamki so
I have to I can't resist this is all
nothing is by accident you can't make
these things up but in the middle of the
night last night in New York my daughter
my granddaughter hoodie hoodie tower got
engaged age to a great grandson of
Ryakov Kamineski. So there you go. There
you go. So here we are. And I still
haven't spoken to her or my children. It
was in the middle of the night. Okay.
Theim
uh Lot
is
not to hate a Jew, not to hate any Jew,
even if he's to the farthest left of the
political spectrum. Right.
We can rebuke. There's a mitzvah to
rebuke a person who's doing the wrong
thing.
We're not going to do all these mitzvah,
but I'm just showing you. And it's
interesting.
Don't take revenge. And um
is like somebody asks you, Mor says,
could you uh lend me your a your axe?
And you said, "Uh, no, you didn't lend
me yours yesterday. I'm not lending it."
And Lotor is even worse because he says,
"Can I borrow your axe?" So he says,
"I'm even though you didn't lend it to
me last time, I'm going to lend you
mine." That's
these are okay,
right?
You should love every Jew as yourself.
Ani hashem. Okay. Now, I should point
out this is not on the sheet. Somebody's
calling me. Let me turn my phone off.
Apologize.
>> There's your granddaughter.
>> Laura, I'll call you back with the title
after my sharing. I'll call you in 45
minutes.
>> Okay. You want the title?
Okay. Gabro.
Gibbro.
G E B
R O
C H
>> K S K Z
>> Gro.
R C T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
T T Z.
>> Tell us that English word.
>> CT Z KZ.
>> No, not not uh not R O C. R O Yeah. R O
C T
Zed
Ro. Yes or no? Question mark.
>> Thank you, Laura. I appreciate it.
>> Not how.
>> It's my halakash here for next Wednesday
night if anyone's interested. Okay.
>> What's that?
>> Better late than never.
>> No, I don't I don't want to get people
excited about it, right? But I'm I I eat
I eat gross. I proudly eat gabros.
Although I was a rabbi in a hotel in
South Africa which was completely non
gabros. But anyway I have a problem
because I only eat matzah during the
week a whole week. So it's it's six of
one half a dozen of another. But I can
have canal right with anyway. So you can
come to the shir. All right let's u not
on the sheet. I have to say
the ramban says about kamoka. Love your
neighbor as you love every Jew like you
love yourself. So the Ramban says this
is uh um a guzma uses a different word
but it's it's um it's impossible and he
say it's impossible for two reasons.
Number one it's against the law because
um you
your life comes first. For example, the
famous sto example that Gomorrah gives,
two people are in a desert and there's a
canteen with enough water for one
person. You don't divide it am you don't
give it to him. You don't divide it in
two. Only one person can survive. You
have to keep it for yourself. So number
one, it's against the law to love
someone as much as you love yourself.
And number two, it's psychologically
impossible because uh Adam Karov
and you know paraphrase that man's best
friend is himself. Right? However, what
the Ramban is telling us, he's not being
dismissive of this. He's really defining
it for us. As hard as it is and as much
as it doesn't make sense, ultimately
this is the the mitzvah to love a person
beyond the letter of the law. beyond the
letter of the law. Right? Uh the
example, one of the examples the Gmorrah
gives in Bitsia, let's say this reb
rabbi came to his rebi and he said um I
found I found this ox in the street in
the public domain rashim. Can I keep it?
He said yes. Right? Then after within 30
days the guy came and he sold him gave
him a sim a sign on the ox. You know the
ox is wearing glasses, right? So do I
have to give it back? He said yes. He
says it doesn't make sense. You you know
on one hand you told me the halak is I
can keep it. It was in the public
domain. But then you tell me if he said
it has a sign. It shows me a sign. I
have to give it back. He said the
keeping it that's the that's the but
beyond the letter of the law is you have
to give it back to him. And that is the
goal of every Jew in terms of relating
to every other Jew. Okay. So but now
let's go into some of the things that
these uh these rabbis are saying. So
first Ryaku Kamki
Z. If you look in the mitzvot of the
Rambam, the Rambam for the uninitiated,
the Rambam has a safer mitzvot which is
a short form of the mitzvah not like his
Mishna Torah which is discusses
everything at length. U mitzvah Zion 207
and quote this
mitzvah to love the convert
and God says
you shall love the G. It's a mitzvah in
the Torah
even though he becomes part of Israel.
And you have the mitzvah, love every Jew
like you love yourself.
So why is there a separate mitzvah?
God when he when he becomes a Jew, God
added on an additional obligation,
additional love,
a separate mitzvah.
There
there's a mitzvah not to oppress, right?
So we also have not to oppress a Jew,
not to oppress a
really explain.
So just like by oppression, the mitzvah
of oppressing somebody um is is two
mitzvah for the gum.
We here to with love also.
Why is that? What do what do I have to
do that for?
Right.
How do you explain this? He goes into
great length.
But the low you shouldn't say
that the Torah gives us a separate
mitzvah to love the Geno.
He's not really a Jew. You know, he's
not really Jewish. You know, he's not,
you know,
he doesn't have the pedigree, Jewish
pedigree.
And in terms of by the way, G cannot be
on the bait.
He can't be on the on the right.
So he's not really part of
so no
is here. Therefore the Torah has to go
out of its way
also for
two mitzvah for the g right. Don't make
that mistake. Number one
is you love him because he's a Jew. He
is a Jew. And secondly, him to love the
convert.
So anyway, that's that's how the Rambam
explains it. Okay, let's go again.
Okay, we something that he says.
It's normal to think
that's the mitzvah of giving rebuke,
right? There's a mitzvah in the Torah
that if someone is doing something wrong
that you have to correct them, right? It
has to be done with love, right? But
you're correcting him, right? So we
generally people make the mistake,
you know, I'm God's policeman, right? I
see somebody doing something wrong, you
know, in sh whatever he did wrong this,
I'm going to tell him because I know
this and he doesn't and I'm going to
tell we're God's policemen, right?
That's what we normally think. We have
an obligation. We're we're working we're
working on behalf of the right
since God wants the Jewish people to
keep his mitzvah.
So therefore, we're supposed to be the
mashk. We're supposed to be, you know,
the the principal, the vice principal.
So they too should do the mitzvah
according to this.
So it comes out that the mitzvah of
rebuke is a mitzvah between man and God
right I'm God's right enforcer right
the truth be told
if this was really the purpose of the
Torah
it's very hard
if you get to the point that you're
going to be embarrassing him in public,
you're not allowed to do it. Right? So
that means that there's a concern here.
This is a mitzvah between man and man.
Right?
Right? In other words, if if you have to
get to that point, you can do it even
though it is an isidorita because we
have the obligation to do it. But why
are we concerned whether you are allowed
you're not allowed to embarrass him,
right? Gamu also which is strange
the Goran
talks about that gamor is the whole of
giving rebuke
until you get to the point where you you
have to hit him you don't hit him or you
have to curse him you don't go that far
why
you don't see that by any other mitzvah
in the Torah
And a person has to put on fill in right
in public even a guy starts pushing him
you know he hits him the guy hits him
what are you doing you still have to put
on fillin right you're not you're not
exempt from filling unless it's guy's
going to kill you right but if somebody
just push you still have to put on
fillin so how come by
you you have to stop if the guy's going
to curse you if he's going to hit you
right you have to
guy's cursing him to put on.
You have to put on your
and put on your
different. So obviously the answer is
we're not God's policeman. It's a it's a
mitzvah between me and him because I
care about him.
is telling us what the mitzvah is
which I showed you an example that the
mitzvah is listed in our para together
with all other mitzvah between man and
man right it's not by accident see not
hating a Jew loving a Jew
revenge
The Torah sets parameters here.
the mitzvah that the person who you're
giving mus to has to feel that you care
about me. You know, I want to tell you
something. May I tell you a right? First
of all, I want to tell you I love you.
You're my friend and nothing's going to
change about my opinion to you. Even
though, you know, I see you're watering
your grass on my on next door to my
house and it's driving me crazy, but I
have to tell you that really, let's talk
about it. Right? So, he has to feel that
you love him, right?
when he tells him you can't do it right
the sinner has to feel
if he returns something a lost article
all right he gives an example I'm not
going to go into the example but you
hear what's going on here and he
finishes off by saying it's you're
elevating the person right that's what
you have to do okay that's the now
another piece to this mitz of is very
important. So it's it's I guess you
could say it's a kind of a a submit
mitzvah of loving another Jew. It has to
be done with loving another Jew, right?
With a Israel. Now let's look at number
four. This is Salvik. This is the Neph.
It's Rahers
writing the Torah of Salvik. And he has
he has a on this mitzvah also. Okay?
Because there's an exception to the rule
which we're going to see where you don't
have to give to right. Let's see. Very
important.
Good morning.
Listen to this.
Just like there's a mitzvah to tell
somebody that he's going to understand.
To give a m something he's going to
understand. There's a same mitzvah.
There's a the same way there is a
mitzvah not to tell him that you to do
something or you can't do something. If
he's not going to understand right very
important right now he has a question
here
he's going to say a bigish but he's
going to ask a question what's this
kashim
just like there's a mitzvah to tell
somebody something he's going to listen
to kain similarly there's a mitzvah not
to tell him not to tell him something
he's not going to understand what it's
just two separate things. What do you
mean kashame? There's not there seem to
be an uncommon denominator here. One is
you tell a person something that he's
going to hear and if he then you don't
tell him something he's not going to
hear. What's the kashame? What's the why
is this linked together? Why are these
two things linked together? That you
should tell him and that you shouldn't
tell him. Why are they linked together?
It seems like it's one thing.
Ara the purpose of of of
is to take this person who's a Russia
but he's doing a vishno
and to turn him into a sadik that's
that's the goal right explained that to
us right not doing go we care about him
he quotes another
better that a person should do something
wrong unknowingly, then you go and
explain it to him that it's not allowed
to do and now he's not going to listen.
What's worse, right? Now that you've
told him this is the this is what a Jew
supposed to do and before that he didn't
know that. So maybe just leave it alone
if you know he's not going to listen.
Right?
When a person transgresses
not on purpose,
he's still at Sadi, right? He doesn't
know any better. So, he's still
officially at right,
right?
They're not purposefully going against
the Torah, right?
But if you give him, you tell him,
explain it to him,
and you know very well he's going to
continue doing the iser, right? I I feel
amazed that he's going to do it now
purposely.
You have now made him into a Russian. So
what did you accomplish? Right? So it's
going to show that it's all part of one
thing. They're not two separate issues.
Tell somebody something who's going to
understand it. And don't tell somebody
something's not. They're not separate
things. It all stems from the same
source.
This is the mitzvah of
the real according to the simple
understanding of the verse.
And that's why it's similarly just like
similarly. They're not two separate
things. They're one thing.
The mitzvah of not telling him something
he doesn't understand.
That is part of the mitzvah of giving
rebuke. The mitzvah of not giving rebuke
under certain circumstances if you're
not going to listen is part of the
mitzvah of rebuke
right it's part of the mitzvah even
though
is to remove from the person by giving
him
even though you're 100% sure you're not
going to accomplish anything. There are
certain circumstances
like there are certain aas you know
whatever they are very serious
significant aas that you have to tell no
matter what
I know he's not going to listen to me.
So there are circumstances right
by
how come in general the general
principle is no
he's going to continue doing the a but
he's going to do it
you have to say under these
circumstances
there's a contradiction
simple understanding of rebuke
not to turn him in to a evil person
and also the
it's like a general that's a demoral
language just aic terminology we can we
can skip that go down to the second last
lineo
So the rabbis in the Gmorra and the
Mishna explained to him
you can't do both. You can't, right?
So you don't It's all part of the
It's all part of the mitzvah of giving
rebuke. Part of the mitzvah of yes, I
have to give rebuke is not to give
rebuke. If he's not going to listen,
you're making matters worse because your
whole purpose is to make him into it.
Okay. How are we doing timewise? Because
we started so late. What time is it?
>> It's 5:30 after 11.
>> We're going to do it. Okay. This is the
last piece. This is from Rav Hutner and
it's a classic uh idea for us to to to
have. Okay. Forget about the the first
uh two lines. It's a because it's
picking up from you see it's chapter
eight in the whole discussion. and he
has
um there's a mitzvah inv
forgiveness right if you do something
wrong to somebody you have to say I'm
sorry right that's called
you have to go and ask we say we
normally say right
second I'm All right.
Still had my ways on the whole time.
Okay. So, uh but I was with you. Okay.
Here. Listen what he says. Um the idea
of asking for forgiveness the time of
chuva, right? Asking God for
forgiveness, right?
Um
totally different mindset.
We talk about chuva, right? Person doing
chuva. He's repenting
between man and God. Man and man
the idea is to you have to correct the
there's a there's a breach here. You
have to correct the breach.
Right. You have to explain it to the
guy, right? You have to say pause. This
is what I did.
Guy lost money for another person,
right?
He sends him money to take to do
something and he loses the money.
If you repay him, you if it's something
you did, right? You were a messenger,
you were shal, you went on a mission for
him, and you lost the money, right?
Whatever it whatever it is, without
going into differences, you owe him
money, you have to pay him back the
money, right?
Once you pay him back, there's nothing
lost. Nothing lost, nothing gained,
right? Nothing lost, nothing gained.
That's that's between man and man. Okay.
But if you hurt a person's feelings, you
do something wrong to him, you you know,
you you insult him, you abuse him,
right? Oh, you embarrass him.
After the tsar is removed, right?
moment after after you you say I'm sorry
but the the pain is still there. He's
still embarrassed, right? He's still
embarrassed. I didn't mean it. Right.
But since
if you ask forgiveness sincerely, you're
also removing
the pain. You're removing the pain,
right? So, it'll become clear in a
second.
Let me explain how this works, right?
We're back to our original mitzvah. The
mitzvah to love every Jew, right? In
other words, it's not enough that you
say you're sorry and he's still hurt.
That's what he's saying. If he's still
hurt, it's not good enough.
It has to be such an I'm sorry, such a a
an appeasement to the person that he's
not going to be heard anymore. Right?
Why is that? So listen to what he says
very beautifully.
The mitzvah of loving every Jew.
It's not a mitzvah just that I have to
be a lover
that I have to be beloved. That he's got
to love me again, right? You hear
means it's not good enough that I love
you. I'm sorry what I did. He has to
love you again. He has to feel that you
he loves you. That's a that's a tough
nut to crack. But that's what we have to
do in the mitzvah of appeasement to a
person if you wronged him, right?
The nature of love.
Every lover wants to be loved, right?
Every person wants to be loved, right?
You want to like somebody, you want to
be liked back, right? It's human nature,
right? Human psychology. 101.
This idea of wanting to become beloved.
This is part of the mitzvah to love.
Part of the mitzvah to love is to love
him to such an extent that I will be
loved by him. Okay. Very very beautiful
idea.
any between a man and his friend.
So you do something wrong against
another Jew. So there's two dimensions
to what you did wrong.
He harmed his fellow. He hurt him.
I'm a lover, but I didn't act you like I
love you. and bait. Number two,
he's given the friend or former friend a
license
to have tinus on him to hate him. Right?
Because part of the process the mitzvah
is not only to be a lover but to be
beloved. Right?
Therefore,
after he asks forgiveness for
appeasement from his friend
and the guy, let's say, doesn't want to
he doesn't want to forgive you.
But if you tell me you've you've taken
away the license to hate you. I
sincerely ask you to forgive me. I've
taken away his license to hate me. He
can no longer hate me. Right? He has to
love me. Right? But he's he's angry.
Right?
You've done your job. You go as far as
you can go. You go as far as you can go.
Right? I suggest you wait at least 24
hours. Right? As we all know, maybe not
in your experience, in my experience,
you have to wait a little bit, right?
You have to think things calm down,
right? But if not that you've done your
job, I show you I not only I love you,
but I really want you to love me. I
really this the wrong thing I did. You
give a present. Whatever you do, nothing
nothing happens, right?
Sal, the head of the the founder of the
Muser movement, right?
If someone speaks about somebody
and this is part of this mitzvah and the
guy doesn't know about it, you spoke
about him and the guy doesn't know about
it.
is but if you go to him and say listen I
want to ask you right you know yeshiva
the boy the minigan yeshiva is if those
who went to yeshiva you know that kipper
everybody goes they line up everybody
goes I want to ask you I want to ask you
so one time a guy said to me I want to
ask you I asked on you I said to you
know because I'm I'm sad I said did you
enjoy it he said he said yeah I said
okay then I forgive you okay but listen
to this But the re the truth is the do
if you tell the guy if you're going to
tell somebody I spoke lot on you is the
guy's going to be very pain you spoke
lot on me you know you know the mshel
about lash horror it's like a guy goes
in the street on a windy day and cuts
open a feather pillow and the feathers
go all over the world it's finished you
said something about this guy it's all
over right and I'm in pain that you did
this kaza
You cannot ask.
You don't ask. How do you like that?
Because by asking even though you love
him, right, you're not making yourself
beloved to him and you're
going to tell him this.
You're going to pain him.
You're putting him in a terrible
situation, right?
the the obligation to ask
does not come with a license
to pain your friend. So you have to step
back
and I would say I would add to this I'm
not gonna that's too much but you hear
the point. We'll finish off with this
time. Is it quarter after?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Perfect timing.