Prayer for the Love of One’s Fellow as Oneself:
(Based off of To Love a Fellow Jew Chapter 1: The Mitzvah By Nissan Dovid Dubov)
HaShem, our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, we come before You with hearts full of yearning to fulfill the sacred commandment, "And you shall love your fellow as yourself." In this world filled with divisions, strife, and personal ambitions, we seek the strength and wisdom to rise above our natural inclinations and to embody the true essence of this mitzvah.
As Rambam has taught us, we are to love our fellow with the same compassion and care that we have for ourselves. Help us, HaShem, to look beyond our own desires and to place the needs and well-being of others at the forefront of our actions. Let us be willing to sacrifice our time, our energy, and our resources, not for our own advancement, but for the sake of another, for the sake of our fellow Jew.
We acknowledge, HaShem, that this path is not an easy one. It demands of us an enormous amount of self-sacrifice, to break out of the insulated cocoon of our own interests and to give of ourselves wholly to others. Yet, we know that this is what You desire of us, and this is the true path to spiritual growth and fulfillment.
The Alter Rebbe, in his holy teachings, has illuminated the way for us. He has taught us that every Jew possesses two souls—the animal soul and the G‑dly soul. It is our G‑dly soul, our nefesh haElokis, that unites us with every other Jew, for in our essence, we are one. Help us, HaShem, to see beyond the external differences that separate us and to focus on the soul, the true essence of every Jew. In this way, we can truly love our fellow as ourselves, for in loving them, we are loving a part of ourselves.
Grant us the humility to despise the superficiality of the body and to find joy in the joy of the soul alone. Let us recognize that the differences between our own soul and that of our fellow are insignificant in the face of their common source in You, the living G‑d. For who can claim that their soul is superior to another's? Help us to internalize the truth that we all share one Father, and within that source, we are all one entity.
As brothers and sisters in the fullest sense, not merely as figurative relatives, let us transcend the barriers of the physical world that divide us. Let us find unity in our shared spiritual heritage, and let that unity manifest in our actions, in our love, and in our devotion to one another.
HaShem, help us to cultivate a love that is not dependent on external factors, a love that is natural, innate, and as pure as the love between siblings. For when we see the body as primary and the soul as secondary, we are bound by the differences that separate us. But when we see the soul as primary, we are united in our shared essence.
We pray that You give us the strength to reach a level of true ahavas Yisrael, where our concern for another surpasses even our concern for ourselves. May the pain of another's suffering touch us more deeply than our own, and may the joy of another's success bring us as much happiness as if it were our own.
Help us to see the good in every individual, to recognize the unique qualities that each person brings to the world. Let us speak of these qualities, praise them, and in doing so, bring out the best in others. For when we see the good in others, we create a vessel for Your Divine blessing, and we bring joy to You, our Heavenly Father.
We know that true pursuit of ahavas Yisrael brings great rewards. When we love a fellow Jew, You, HaShem, love us. When we do a favor for another, You repay us many times over. We seek to be mekarev, to draw near, our fellow Jews to You, and in doing so, we know that You will draw near to us.
Help us to instill in our children the spirit of ahavas Yisrael. Let them grow up in a world where love, fraternity, peace, and friendship prevail, where each child worries about the well-being of another as if it were their own. Let them carry forward this sacred mitzvah, so that future generations will continue to live in unity and love.
HaShem, we ask that You guide us on this path, that You give us the strength to overcome our egos, to nullify our own desires, and to reveal the essence of our souls. In doing so, may we come to feel the essential bond that connects us all, and may we bring Your light into the world through our love for one another.
May we merit to see the day when all Israel is united as one, when we are bound together not by external factors, but by the deep, inherent love that comes from our shared source in You. May this unity bring about the ultimate redemption, when peace and harmony will reign over all the earth.
Amen.
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