Queries & Comments

On What Planet Does Professor Malamat Live?

On what planet, may I ask, has Professor Abraham Malamat been living that he seriously thinks, and no doubt teaches, that “love” as found in Leviticus 19:18 has been misinterpreted for the past 2,000 years (“‘Love Your Neighbor as Yourself’—What It Really Means,” BAR 16:04)? Every orthodox Christian and every Orthodox Jew is taught that love is not a feeling but an act of will followed by an action. The alleged misinterpretation has never existed.

It is gratifying, however, to see that after so many years of teaching and earning advanced academic degrees Professor Malamat has finally discovered a basic truth.

The Golden Rule Says It

Regarding Professor Malamat’s article, “‘Love Your Neighbor as Yourself’—What It Really Means,” BAR 16:04, didn’t a rabbi of long ago say the same thing when he taught the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you” (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31).