What is love? How do we cultivate it? In a fairly roundabout way, we catch a glimpse into a little-known secret from this week's Parsha.
The Pasuk tells us "When you see your donkey of the person you hate struggling under a load" then you shall surely help him(23:5). What is the Torah trying to do by helping our enemies? Does it think that our enemy will like us more if we help?
In a strange way, it might be the opposite. The Zohar tells us that the word Ahavah, meaning to love, has the root "hav", to give. Many people consider this to mean we give to someone and they will love us. This, as before, is not the meaning of the lesson.
When we give we lov. Taking part of ourselves- be it through time, effort or money- and investing it in another person, not only expresses your love for them, it intesifies it. When we help our enemy. besdies his appreciation, we too begin to love them more.
The Mishna in Avos tells us "aquire for yourself a friend". Why aquire? will he want to be your friend once you shower him with gifts. Actually, it may mean YOU will be his friend afterwards.
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