A Patent For Love And Peace At Home

Question: You talk so beautifully about unity, but what is one to do if unity doesn’t exist in their own home? I side with leftist political views whereas my husband favors extreme right-wing views. Our conversations about politics lead us to fights all the time. What can be done?

Answer: I think that you, and all the people of Israel, have received the opportunity to correct this situation. As it is said, “…love covereth all transgressions” (Proverbs 10:12). How is it possible to attain peace between us? Peace doesn’t mean that one defeats the other and suppresses him, or convinces him that he was wrong, as we want to do in general.

Peace means that in relationships with another person who is against me heart and soul, in all characteristics and opinions, we reach complete mutuality. This is attained by building a bridge of love between us. And then on the physical plane we are left with contradictions and oppositions, in struggle, resistance and collision with each other, whereas above this, specifically as a counterweight, we build love.

It is necessary to learn how to do this. The main thing is not to be afraid that we have two planes: a lower one in which we contradict and oppose each other absolutely, and a higher one in which we are connected with each other. This is called, “…love covereth all transgressions.” Specifically above all the transgressions and mistakes, no matter how many great contrasts there are between us, we can build a stronger connection of love. One cannot be without the other. Therefore, if we are talking about wholeness, about unity and even about love, this is talking about two planes. It is impossible otherwise. It is possible to build a connection only above all the disturbances, frictions, and differences between us.

So nobody is allowed to demand that the other change. There can be no coercion, neither religious nor secular, from either side and in anything. Each one must remain as he is. If he wants to change, he wants this by himself. And we only need to learn by ourselves and to teach ourselves how to build love as an umbrella that covers us all, even though we oppose each other. And precisely then our love can be permanent, without being transitory, great and flourishing due to the fact that inside rage flames of our opposition to each other.
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From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 5/3/15