Loving the Stranger in Biblical and Jewish Tradition

What is it about?

This article unpacks the often-quoted Talmudic statement that the Hebrew Bible contains 36 repetitions of the command to "love the stranger". It describes the status of the stranger in the Hebrew Bible and the biblical injunctions about loving the stranger and examines the explanations of those verses found in traditional Jewish interpretation, including that Talmudic statement and parallels in other rabbinic texts. The rhetorical use of these traditions has often been directed towards cultivating empathy and hospitality towards foreigners and members of other marginalized groups. The current article raises a concern that at times, in more subtle ways, the self-understanding of such generosity has served in practice to restrict the adoption of loving attitudes towards the stranger and has even instead contributed to tendencies towards fear of the Other. This article advocates for a use of the biblical and rabbinic traditions as a basis for developing welcoming attitudes and policies towards the Other.

Featured Image