Human nature compels a person to love his children and relatives but nature does not compel love of one’s fellow. Therefore, in situations that involve inconvenience or some financial expense, a person’s love of self overcomes him, and he will refrain from benefiting his fellow. Another reason why a person might have difficulty with loving his fellow] is that since it is a great mitzvah to love one’s fellow Jew], the Yetzer Ha-ra (Evil Inclination) overpowers him to cause him to lose this important mitzvah. Therefore, it is imperative to defeat one’s Yetzer and care most about the glory due to one’s Creator — and arouse the love towards one fellow. How special are Jews! See how much they toil, how many inconveniences they suffer, and how much money they spend on a some mitzvah or on good deeds! But the problem is that there are some significant mitzvos that have few seekers only because people do not really view them as mitzvos. Now, if our Sages said, “Run towards a minor mitzvah as you would towards a major one, for you do not know the reward of mitzvos” (Avos 4:2), then certainly you should pursue this mitzvah as one who pursues life itself, for it encompasses loving-kindness, love of one’s fellow and pathways of peace. And since the Yetzer Ha’ra suggests all sorts of rationalizations to allow that which is forbidden and why you should take care of yourself first, and also since there are several areas within this mitzvah that are confusing even to God-fearing Jews, one should not rely on their own judgment but ask a rabbi for guidance on how to proceed.
