Parshat Kedoshim: Love or Beloved?

According to Rabbi Akiva, the central principle of the Torah, found in our Parsha, is to love others, וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. Despite this, many of us seek love in the opposite direction. More than we aspire to love others, we hope for others to love us. However, the key to happiness isn’t by being beloved but rather by loving. This insight is know by parents who by nature love their children much more than they are loved in return, yet the joy the parents receive from the children is much greater than the joy of the children from the parents. This message can help guide us to choose to do what is right for others even when it is less popular. Ultimately, as a famous anecdote about Rav Chaim Volozhin teaches, one who loves will ultimately be beloved.