Show extra love today

Today, Asarah B'Tevet, we will fast in commemoration of the siege placed around Jerusalem by the wicked Nevuchadnezer that ultimately led to the destruction of our first Beis Ha'Mikdash, Temple, thousands of years ago. Much less well known is another event that happened on this date. On the 10th of Tevet, Yosef's brothers threw him in the pit in a brazen display of sinas chinam, baseless hatred, that led to our servitude in Egypt and great suffering.

If you look around the Jewish world today you see that this same attitude continues to plague us with so many acting judgmental, dismissive and intolerant of one another.  This malady doesn't discriminate. People on the right reject those on the left and those on the left have no tolerance for those on the right. In the last few weeks alone we have seen Jews throwing stones and tires at Israeli Soldiers, Jews hurling insults and spitting on young girls whom they think are immodestly dressed, among other examples.

The only remedy, antidote and correction for sinas chinam, baseless hatred is to share extra love, warmth and acceptance. Nobody ever starting keeping Shabbos because a rock was thrown at their head, but they did because someone invited them to their home.

Today, as we fast, I implore you to consider ways to show a little extra love and together we can repair the damage which is being done all around us.