רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן אָמַר

The Alter Rebbe taught

מִצְוַת אַהֲבַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא לִיְלִיד עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם לֹא רָאָה אוֹתוֹ

that the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael, loving a fellow Jew, applies to every member of the Jewish people, even if one has never seen him.

וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לַחֲבֵר עַדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בִּמְקוֹם מְגוּרוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בֶּן אוֹ בַּת עֲדָתוֹ

How much more does it apply to a member of the Jewish neighborhood in which one lives, to every man or woman who is a member of one’s own community.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English