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Leviticus 19:33-34

 

ויקרא יט:לג-לד

Original Text:

וְכִי יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר בְּאַרְצְכֶם לֹא תוֹנוּ אֹתוֹ: כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Translation:

When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong them. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the LORD am your God.
[JPS translation. Edited for gender neutrality]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. Is our natural inclination to treat strangers poorly? Why?
2. How does a common identity with a stranger enhance your relationship with them?
3. What are common ways that foreigners are not treated as equals? In what ways do government policies about immigration impact this?

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Related Texts:
Leviticus 19:33-34
Related Sourcesheets:And You Shall Love Your Neighbor As Yourself, Immigration , Civil/Human Rights, Texts on Social Change v. Social Action, A Day in the Life: Bringing Vision and Values to Practice, Rabbi Joy Levitt (Limmud NY 2008), Welcoming the Stranger

Submitted By

Sarah Margles

Comments on this Text

 Is the fact that this verse concludes with "I am the Lord your God" significant? How does it affect our understand of this verse?