Love of the stranger is one of the few mitzvot of the Torah that is expressed both positively and negatively. It is asserted that, "You shall love the stranger" and also that, "You shall not oppress the stranger". Therefore, the love of the stranger is counted among both the 248 positive mitzvot as well as the 365 negative mitzvot of Jewish tradition. Israel's profound consciousness of her minority identity always forced her to carry the notion of the stranger and the alienated. Let us examine the psychology of Israel's identification with the stranger.

Rashi understands that if you oppress the stranger, he will remind me you of your own humble origins. If you are not accepting of the stranger, he will say to you, "You were a stranger in Egypt. Rashi states, "You know the feelings of the stranger because you were a stranger in the land of Egypt".

Moshe ben Ashlekh states that since Israel herself worshipped idols in Egypt before the giving of the Torah. Therefore, she should not look down upon the stranger. Israel's self-esteem cannot come at the expense of others. Humility is one of the great virtues of our faith, the very sign of the pious.

Nahmanides presents a religiously progressive view of the stranger. Theologically, as a community, the memory of Egypt teaches us that G-d is on the side of the oppressed. Israel must not afflict the stranger because G-d will come to his defense. These statements are the beginnings of liberation theology, which is so very popular today. G-d is with the oppressed and present in their anguish and suffering.

Nehama Leibovitz, the great heiress to the legacy of the medieval commentators, makes an astute observation. Sometimes, the historical experience of oppression does not make one more sympathetic to the suffering others. We can think of many situations where the oppressed turn into the oppressors. Ironically, the oppressed are often not more sympathetic to the sufferings of others. In fact, they sometimes take out their anger and hostility upon others. It is believed that adults who were abused as children cause most domestic violence. The term used by psychologists is "repetition compulsion". We, unfortunately, incorporate and repeat what we learned as children. Therefore, the Torah must deliberately and forcefully tell us how to treat the stranger. The relationship between depression and anger is that of sisters. Anger is often an acting-out of past frustration; depression is often the result of repressed rage. Israel must never let her anger at the past result in hatred towards the stranger.

The stranger and the estranged - so many of our contemporary brothers and sisters fall into these categories. The feelings of alienation and disenfranchisement are experienced by so many of us. The most beautiful ethic of Judaism, both a positive as well as a negative mitzvah, is concern for the stranger.