Many commentators point to Lev 19:2 for the theme of the book of Leviticus:
"You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."
Leviticus 19 gives instruction from God on how holiness looks in various areas of life. It expands upon the Decalogue, with all ten commandments represented. Proper worship of God is emphasized, as is compassion for the most vulnerable members of society.
Verse 18 is probably the best known passage in this important chapter:
"You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord."
This is one of the two "great commandments" emphasized by Jesus of Nazareth (Matt 22:34-40).
Verse 17 has been the subject of much thought and reflection over the centuries:
"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him."
One New Testament passage that deals with applications of this verse in Matt 18:15-17, 21-35.
The book of James has much to say about applications of Lev 19:12-18.
There is also evidence that the order in which topics are addressed in Matthew 5 follows the order in which the same topics are addressed in Lev 19. Kyle Kettering pointed this out in a sermon at Church of the Messiah on February 19, 2022, drawing upon a book by Jan Willem Doeve, Jewish Hermeneutics in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts (1953).
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