4. The Torah says in several places: “Follow His ways” (Deuteronomy, 28:9), “Walk in all His ways and cleave to Him” (ibid., 11:22), “Follow God, your Almighty God, and cleave to Him” (ibid., 13:5). The Sages ask: “How can a person follow God Himself? Follow the Shechinah? He would simply be consumed by fire!”
The answer is that this refers to the attributes of the Almighty, to striving to resemble Him in the ways He acts: doing good for others, helping the poor, visiting the sick, comforting mourners, and burying the dead—as the Almighty does.
5. These commandments are not limited by time, place, or age. Even young children should be told about this commandment and guided along the path of love and kindness.
If a person makes no effort to correct his thoughts and his attitude toward other people, and does not try to improve his actions, he too fails to fulfill these commandments.
6. The Torah states: “Let your fellow live alongside you.” From this passage, the Sages teach that one must care for others without harming oneself in the process.
Moreover, a person must put his own life first. For example, if two people are walking through the desert and one has a flask of water sufficient only for him to survive (if they divide it between them, both will die of thirst), he should not share the water with his companion. First, a person must make sure that he has everything he needs, and only then share with others and care for them.
The Torah does not command a person to give his property to others and become destitute himself, all the more so if doing so would endanger his life.
If two towns share a single water source, the upper town may temporarily shut off the channel supplying the residents below if there is not enough water.
**** Rabbi Yozel Horowitz, known as the Alter of Novardok, found himself in a small town on Yom Kippur. Entering the local synagogue, he noticed a Jewish man wearing leather shoes. Rabbi Yozel asked him why he did not take his shoes off, and the man replied that he had no socks and was embarrassed to enter a crowded place barefoot. Hearing this, Rabbi Yozel immediately took off his socks and gave them to the man. He went barefoot that entire day.
Later, he was asked why he had not looked after himself first. His answer was: “This Jew lives here, while I am only a guest. People do not know me, and no one will pay any attention to me, but someone is sure to talk about him and cause trouble for him. As for me, even if people do say something, I am here today and elsewhere tomorrow, so it does not bother me.”