One of the most simple, profound and moving of Judaism’s principles is a comment made by R. Akiva regarding a passuk in this week’s parasha:

ואהבת לרעך כמוך – אמר רבי עקיבא זה כלל גדול בתורה (רש”י, ויקרא יח:יט)

You should love your fellow as (you love) yourself – Rabbi Akiva said ‘This is the great principle of the Torah’. (Rashi, Vayikra 18:19)

This quote of R. Akiva is one of the most well-known sayings in the Talmud; however, it is merely an excerpt. It is half of a debate between R. Akiva and one of his peers. The great sage, Ben Azzai, thought a different pasuk and a different principle was of greater importance. Their full debate reads:

ואהבת לרעך כמוך. רבי עקיבה אומר זהו כלל גדול בתורה. בן עזאי אומר [בראשית ה א] זה ספר תולדות אדם זה כלל גדול מזה. (תלמוד ירושלמי, נדרים ט:ד)

‘(And) you must love your fellow as (you love) yourself’ – Rabbi Akiva said ‘This is the great principle of the Torah’. Ben Azzai said ‘This is the book of the Generations of Man…’ is a greater principle than this. (Jerusalem Talmud, Nedarim 9:4)

The passuk Ben Azzai quotes is from the end of Parshat Bereishit (5:1):

זֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹהִ֖ים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ (ה:א)

This is the book of the Generations of Man, on the day that God made Man, in the likeness of God, He made him. (5:1)

In Ben........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)