"When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am Lord am your God" (Leviticus 19.33-34).
I interupt this mitzvah of Torah to mean the following: respect and show kindess to everyone, treat them as one would want to be treated. This mitzvah has significant meaning in my daily life. I live my life very postively and always do gemilut chasdim for others including strangers. An example of fulfilling this mitzavh is when I hosted an internatinal student in my home for a week. She was a stranger living in my home, but I treated her with love and compassion. This mitzvah is a guideline for me as a Jew in the modern world because strangers can be represnted by people of different religious backgrounds. I show everyone kindess no matter there religion or political views. Jews are often the minority and discriminated against, so in the modern world it is very important to perform gemilut chasidim.
I took this picture yesterday in the streets of Jeruslaum. I approcahed a group of complete strangers and asked them to take a picture with me. They responded with kindess and were very happy to be in the picture. From the picture it is very ovious that I am the outcast of the photo, but that does not matter. All that matter's is the act of kindess between the sranger's and I. Thus this picture expresses the Jewish mitzvah of showing love and respect to strangers. Jews were all once strangers in the land of Egypt, so we know what it feels like to be an outcast. I will continue to shower strangers with love. Love is all we need.
Hannah, love it! You certainly do a great job of bringing positive energy and acceptance to all those that you meet. Keep spreading this message and welcoming the stranger in our midst.
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