Love thy friend, or neighbor,as thyself, taught by the great Kabbalist Rabbi Akiva, is maxim that virtually all religions and teachings have adopted. But this is a very dangerous maxim if lived without its final goal - to reach the Creator. Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag writes that this is exactly what happened in Russia's communism. It was doomed to fail, and they continue to pay a heavy price because they used nature's law of altruism without its final purpose: to reach the Creator through equivalence of form with Him.
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With all due respect, I believe that such famous comments upon Vayikra 19:18 as are generally quoted in Rabbinic literature are mostly the province of Hillel, rather than Rabbi Akiva. Also, while it certainly appears that Rabbi Akiva was one of the Yordei ha-Merkavah ("Those Who Descend To The Heavenly Throne," the earliest known mystical precursors of Kabbalah), that is not quite the same as being a Kabbalist, which invokes a tradition that was built later upon the deep foundations Rabbi Akiva and his fellows set down. Kabbalah as we know it is, I think, really a product of the end of the Hekhalot period, some time toward the end of the era of the Geonim (so, say tenth or eleventh century, give or take). But certainly it is fair to characterize Rabbi Akiva as a mystic.
And while I am always eager to defend the Jewish origins of ideas or phrases, I believe that the sentiments of
v'ahavta l'reyecha kamocha are expressed similarly in many diverse religious traditions, including Hinduism, which predates us (though I think we came upon the same idea separately, not that we somehow got it from them).
I think it clarifies matters to adopt the hypothesis I am beginning to hear among many Biblical scholars-- I myself heard it from the late Rabbi Dr. David Lieber, and from Dr. Ziony Zevit, at the American Jewish University-- that the word
ahavah, which has come to mean "love," originally started out meaning something a little closer to "valuation" or "respect." Especially if you look at the verse in context with verses 16-17, with which verse 18 forms kind of a complete unit of thought.
16- Do not go mongering gossip amongst your people; do not stand idle by the spilt blood of your fellow; I am YHVH.
17- Do not nurture hatred for your brother in your heart, rather, you must surely confront your neighbor, and so not bear sin because of him.
18- Carry no vendettas, nor harbor grudges, but respect your fellow as yourself; I am YHVH.
This group of verses represents a clear directive concerning preserving social order and avoiding unhealthy relations within the community. Put simply, don't publicly do things to rouse anger against yourself, don't do those things privately, talk honestly with your fellows so no misunderstandings occur, let minor grievances go and don't let them fester, and remember that other people are just as deserving of respect and valuation as you are yourself. I think in its original context, this was an extremely
pshuti (plainly written, pragmatic) verse: the occasional infixion of "I am YHVH" throughout much of Vayikra was likely not in its original context mystical, but a simple statement of authority: "you must do these things because I am YHVH, and I say so."
Which is not to dismiss the very fine
drashah of the Ba'al ha-Sulam (Reb Yehudah Leib Ashlag), that the verse is intended to remind one that we must value and respect others because we are all
tzalmei elohim (images of God), and it is ultimately through the reflection of God's glory in human souls that we can most easily come to find and know something of our Creator.
That said, I don't think that was what was going on in Communist Russia was a case of
v'ahavta l'reyecha kamocha run amuck. They don't seem to have been respecting much of anyone like themselves.....
but new ones might.