‘One Side and One People’: The Rebbe’s Timeless Answer to Division

Polarization in America today is a deep and growing problem. It is eroding the foundations of civil dialogue and making compromise increasingly rare. This divide is driven by many factors—partisan media, social media echo chambers, and political leaders who amplify differences for personal or political gain.

The resulting atmosphere breeds mistrust, hostility, and a reluctance to engage with opposing perspectives. Social tension rises when people no longer see each other as partners in a shared society but as threats to their way of life.

Solving any problem begins with identifying its root cause. Only then can true healing begin.

In a powerful talk on the Ten Commandments, the Lubavitcher Rebbe offered a striking insight. He explained that the commandments engraved on the two tablets can be read both vertically and horizontally, revealing a deep connection between seemingly unrelated laws—such as the link between “I am the Lord your G-d” (Commandment 1) and “Do not murder” (Commandment 6). This structure points to an essential truth: ethical behavior cannot stand on its own; it must be grounded in the sacred.

Without a higher, moral absolute, ethics become subjective—vulnerable to manipulation, contradiction, and division. When human beings are the sole arbiters of good and evil, the result is inevitable conflict.

Human nature has a universal blind spot: we are instinctively biased toward ourselves and those like us. This subconscious self-preservation instinct, though natural, leads us to view others—those who are different—as potential threats.

The only way to rise above this fear is through a deeper awareness of a truth found at the very beginning of the Torah: “In the image of G-d, He created man.” If every human being is created in the Divine image, then beneath our differences lies a shared spiritual essence that binds us together.

Only a monotheistic worldview—rooted in the belief in one G-d and the unity of all creation—can foster a truly inclusive vision of humanity, where no one is seen as ‘other.’

Following the Crown Heights riots in 1991, the Rebbe conveyed this very message to New York City Mayor David Dinkins: “It is one side and one people.”

Let’s be honest with ourselves: we all carry bias. The only way to overcome it is to allow our inherent faith in the oneness of G-d—and the unity of mankind—to shape how we think, speak, and live each day.