Shavuot #2

The public revelation of the Torah, which occurred before millions of people, is the central and most definitive event in the history of the world.
One of the prerequisites for receiving the Torah was Jewish unity. As it is now right before Shavuot, it is an especially appropriate time to increase our love for our fellow Jews and strengthen a sense of true Jewish solidarity and brotherhood among ourselves.

The Baal Shem Tov taught that we must love every Jew without exception, regardless of merit. To illustrate, he used the following analogy:
G-d performs the same mitzvot He commands the Jewish people to observe. We keep Shabbat, He keeps Shabbat. We put of tefillin, He puts on tefillin. G-d's tefillin, however, do not consist of parchment and leather straps but are the Jewish people themselves, so to speak.
G-d's tefillin that are worn on the head are the learned Jews, who have utilized their intellect to acquire the Torah's wisdom. His tefillin that are worn on the arm are the simple Jews who perform His mitzvot. Both, the tefillin of the head and the tefillin of the arm are necessary components in the mitzva. And yet, in actual performance, the tefillin of the arm take precedence; the tefillin of the head are donned only after the tefillin have been wrapped on the arm first.
From this we learn just how important it is to love every Jew, regardless of social standing or intellectual achievements. For even in G-d's scheme of things a simple Jew comes first!
May our firm resolve to increase in Ahavat Yisrael tip the balance in our favor and bring about the immediate revelation of Moshiach now.