We are in the days leading to Mashiach, and in Parshat Ki Tetzei, we have the answer to bringing it faster! The Gemara tells us that the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because of baseless hatred, meaning we must act with baseless love to bring Mashiach. That being said, in Parshat Ki Tetzei, it says “לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ, don’t hate the descendants of Esav because they are your brothers, and don’t hate an Egyption because you lived in his land.”

This pasuk takes baseless love further. It is not just necessary to love people baselessly when you know they are good, but to love even those who may not be the best of people. Esav wasn’t a great person; apart from his kibud av,honoring his father, we don’t see him do mitzvot. However, we can not hate him. Additionally, the Egyptians, what did they do? Didn’t they try to get rid of us? While that is correct, they also let us live there. This is important because we think we must give baseless love just to those who are righteous and are always good people, but that is wrong. Hashem told us that we must provide baseless love to all, even those who only have an ounce of goodness.

May we see the good in people and shower them with baseless love, creating a place of warmth, Torah, and mitzvot that will bring Mashiach speedily!

Shira Sedek is a passionate educator currently working toward a master’s degree at Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration.