The virtue of loving one’s fellow is so important that our Sages said: “And you shall love your fellow as yourself (Vayikra 19:18) – this is a fundamental principle of the Torah” (Toras Kohanim 2:12). Our Sages explained this to mean: Do not do to others what you would not want done to you (Shabbos 31a). Now, in proportion to the benefit of this matter so does the Evil Inclination overcome people every day preventing them from this love]. In our sins, because of baseless hatred, Jerusalem was destroyed, our Temple was put to waste, and we were exiled from our Land. And still Satan dances in our midst as each person turns to his own affairs without giving a thought to his fellow’s problems. There are even some who rejoice at their fellow’s misfortune. Yet other—for the sake of some petty gain—are willing to “swallow his fellow alive”
To counteract this it is necessary to both “turn from evil” (cf. Tehillim 34:15) and “do good” (ibid.) — in speech and in deed.
“Turning from evil in speech” means to be careful not to say anything to one’s fellow, or about one’s fellow, that you would not want said to or about yourself. This would include things such as slander (lashon ha’ra), hurtful words (ona’as devarim) and other such speech. “Turning from evil in deed” means not harming one’s fellow nor even causing him any harm that you would not done to yourself. This requires much attention because the Evil Inclination can be very deceptive in this area. All the more so must one be vigilant in his relationships with others] in situations that involve potential financial loss. In those situations people are prone to decide for themselves—leniently—and to pursue profit even at his friend’s expense. Not for naught did the Sages] say: “A person’s character can be determined through his purse” (Eiruvin 65b).
