Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to subdue hatred. - Tosefta: Baba Metzia

In this perhaps we have a beautiful teaching that may be the source of much personal difficulty.

What happens when we reach out and place others higher on our priority list than those closest to us?

We cease to be able to maintain our relationships that maintain us as good participants in healthy society.

While a stranger, or an enemy, deserves our attention - both for the sake of healing the world, Tikkun Olam, a central Jewish value, and subduing hatred, as this quote advises - we must heed the wisdom of another Jewish teacher, Hillel. Hillel teaches that in order to save the world we must start with ourselves, our families, and our communities - we must start at the center if we are to succeed outwardly.