A Real Mitzvah — Not Just a Nice Idea

“Love your fellow as yourself” is not just a Jewish value — it’s a mitzvah straight from the Torah.
But what does that really mean?

In this first episode of The Mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael, Rav Shlomo Katz takes us deep into the heart of one of Judaism’s most misunderstood commandments — loving fellow Jews. With passion, honesty, and sources from the Rambam, Chabad, Chazal, and Rav Kook, we begin to unravel what it means to work on love — not just feel it when it’s easy.

This isn’t about slogans. It’s about soul-work.

In this shiur:

• Why Ahavat Yisrael is an actual mitzvah — not optional
• How Chazal’s explanation of the churban gives us the blueprint for rebuilding
• Why love must be learned, trained, and earned — not just felt
• What Rav Kook and the Baal Shem Tov teach us about making love our profession

In a world where divisiveness is rampant — even among Jews — this series is an invitation to begin again. To become someone who truly loves Am Yisrael, and to make that love the foundation of your Yiddishkeit.