How Can One Grow in Ahavat Yisrael?

Practical ways to genuinely deepen one’s love for fellow Jews.

Q. How can one cultivate / upgrade Ahavas Yisrael?

It’s a big topic, but in short: 1. Like a parent, focus on the virtue of each and every Jew, and be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt regarding their shortcomings. 2. Focus on the G-dly spark of each and every Jew. 3. Just like your left hand won’t stab your right if you cut your hand by accident, so too remember that we Jews are all one organism. 4. We are all brothers, so just like we tolerate our wayward brothers, so too, our wayward Jew. 5. Remember that the anti-Semites group us altogether, so we should similarly band together in national unity (not only during wars or terror attacks!). The real solution is to study the topic well in the classic books of mussar like Mesilat Yesharim & Ahavat Chessed. Just look up love, ahavat Yisrael etc. in their index. R. Mordechai Eliahu zt”l once was asked a similar question and answered alternatively: “I love Rav Chaim Drukman who loves each and every Jew!” Although unfortunately my teacher, Rav Drukman has passed away, but BH there are many other students of Rav Kook’s teachings who similarly follow that ideology.