Hatred of the Heart/2

Hatred of the Heart

Exegetical Approaches

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General Prohibition

Overt and Covert Hating

It is prohibited to hate another both through overt actions or words, and secretly, when one's emotions are kept in the heart.

Sources:RambanVayikra 19:17About R. Moshe b. Nachman #1,¹ perhaps RalbagVayikra 19:17About R. Levi b. Gershom²

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ" – Ramban asserts that even though the verse only speaks of hating another in one's heart, the prohibition also refers to overtly hating the other.  The text mentions "בִּלְבָבֶךָ" only because it is more common (הזכיר הכתוב בהווה).  Ralbag alternatively suggests that the verse specified "בִּלְבָבֶךָ" to teach that even such hating, which might not harm another at all, is also prohibited.

"הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ" – According to this position, the command to rebuke another which is found at the end of the verse is a distinct commandment.  Ralbag maintains that it is brought here because it is likely that hating another will lead one to avoid chastising them and attempting to improve their ways.³

מצוות שבלב – This approach might posit that the Torah commands us to strive to control not just our actions but our emotions as well.

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ" – This approach would likely explain that even though one is not allowed to hate, and thus there should never be a case of "חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ", the Torah knows that human nature is such that hatred is likely, and thus warns that even if you do hate another, that should not stop you from helping them and their animals.

"אָחִיךָ" – Perhaps the verses uses the language of "your brother" to remind one of his kinship to the other.  Despite all, you should treat this person like a brother.

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ"

Context – Ralbag suggests that the ordering of the commandments of Parashat Kedoshim follows that of the Decalogue.  Thus, the verses speaking of just judicial proceedings, the equivalent of "לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר" come before the commandments regarding hating and loving, related to "לֹא תַחְמֹד".

"תִשְׂנָא"

Hating Only in One's Heart

The prohibition is limited to the internal emotion of hatred.

Sources:Sifra Vayikra19:16-17About the Sifra Vayikra, Bavli ArakhinArakhin 16bAbout the Bavli, Ibn EzraVayikra 19:17Long Commentary Shemot 20:1About R. Avraham ibn Ezra,⁴ RambamSefer HaMitzvot 302Hilchot Deiot 6:5About R. Moshe b. Maimon

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ" – These commentators assume, as it seems from the simple reading of the verse, that "בִּלְבָבֶךָ" limits the prohibition to hating in one's heart.

Overt hating – The Rambam maintains that although our verse is not talking about overt hating and does not include instances in which one says aloud or otherwise shows his hatred to another,⁵ that too is nonetheless prohibited but is subsumed under the separate prohibition of  "לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר" and the positive commandment to love another.

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ"

• According to Ibn Ezra, this verse refers not to someone you hate (since that is prohibited) but to someone who hates you.
• Rambam, following Pesachim 113b, asserts that there is one exception to the prohibition against hating .  If a person has committed a sin and despite your warnings, continues in that path, you are allowed to hate that person.  This verse refers to such a person; the Torah dictates that despite being permitted to dislike the individual, you must nonetheless help them.

מצוות שבלב – Ibn Ezra speaks of three categories of commandments, those of the heart, mouth and hand, setting the first as the most important.  He points out that though many assume that there is no sin in having negative thoughts, this is not so.  The Torah teaches to mind one's heart as well as one's deeds.

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" – Ibn Ezra says that this is the opposite of the commandment not to hate, and both are commandments of the heart.  Loving another means to desire their good.

Context – These commentators do not address the larger context of the verse.

"אָחִיךָ"

"תִשְׂנָא" – According to this approach, the word refers to the emotion of intense dislike.

Actions Stemming from Hatred

It is prohibited to act upon one's hate when relating to another.

Sources:R. D"Z Hoffmann⁶

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ" – Though the prohibition refers to actions, these stem from the relationship one has towards the other in his heart and thus the verse speaks of "hatred in the heart".

מצוות שבלב – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, the Torah is not prohibiting one's thoughts, but rather commanding one to ensure that those thoughts do not lead to negative actions⁷.  He compares it to the commandment not to covet, which he similarly understands to refer to actions stemming form jealousy.  Likewise,the command to "love one's neighbor" refers to acts of loving kindness.⁸

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" – R. Hoffmann views this as the flip-side of the prohibition against hating.⁹  he suggests that the two commandments frame verses 17-18, and that three commands in the middle (rebuking and not seeking vengeance either immediately or after  time) all serve to prevent hatred and promote love.

Context – R. Hoffmann suggests that the verse comes on the heels of commandments regarding justice in court as a warning to judges that they must judge honestly even those whom they hate.  He compares it to the similar ordering of laws in Parashat Mishpatim which discusses judges and then the laws of returning lost objects to one's enemy.

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ" – According to R. Hoffmann the Torah does prohibit feeling hatred towards another, only acting upon it.  Therefore, there should be no problem referring to another as "one whom you hate".¹⁰

Limited Prohibition 

The prohibition of "לֹא תִשְׂנָא" is limited to judges, and refers to them making sure that they do not hate the defendant.

Sources:R. Yosef ibn KaspiVayikra 19:17About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi

Context

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ"

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ" – R. Yosef ibn Kaspi holds that one is allowed to hate in general and so "שֹׂנַאֲךָ" is your enemy.

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" – This approach holds that the mitzvah of "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" is not connected to our prohibition.

מצוות שבלב

"אָחִיךָ"

"תִשְׂנָא"

A Different Prohibition

Sources:Targum Pseudo-JonathanVayikra 19:17About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, RashbamVayikra 19:17About R. Shemuel b. Meir, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorVayikra 19:17About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Yereim 195Yereim 195, RambanVayikra 19:17About R. Moshe b. Nachman

What prohibition? These commentators disagree what the prohibition in the verse is:

• אחד בפה אחד בלב - Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Rashbam explain that the verse is prohibiting two-faced behavior.   One may not hate another in their heart but pretend to the outside that he likes him.
• Rebuke - Rashbam, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, the Yereim and Ramban say that our verse is talking about one mitzvah.  If someone does something to you, one shouldn't hate him rather one should reproach him.

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ" – This verse is not a problem for this position since they hold that there is no prohibition to hate someone.

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" – This approach understands "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" as a separate mitzvah which is unrelated to our prohibition.

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ" – These commentators hold, like the simple understanding of the verse, that "בִּלְבָבֶךָ" means in one's heart.

מצוות שבלב – According to these commentators, our verse is not talking about a mitzvah that one does in one's heart.

Context

"אָחִיךָ"

"תִשְׂנָא"

¹ See below that Ramban's preferred option is that the prohibition is identical to that which follows and refers to rebuking another when he wrongs you.

² He does not say this explicitly, but his wording of "even though it does not harm at all, for he hates him in the heart, he has trangressed this prohibition" suggests that it is obvious that if one hates another overtly he has surely transgressed.

³ He explains the placement of the previous command, "לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ" similarly, suggesting that hating might  prevent someone fro trying to save another's life.

⁴ In Tosafot HaShalem, Ibn Ezra is quoted as saying that the verse is talking about reproaching people who wrong you, but from his comments in Vayirka and on Shemot 20:1, he appears to maintain that the verse is speaking about an internal emotion.

⁵ For instance, if he hits another or curses him.

⁶ This is how R. Hoffmann explains the verses in his comments to Vayikra.  In his comments to Shemot 23:4-5, though, he suggests that even hating only in secret is prohibited.

⁷ He writes that the prohibition entails, "לא לגרום לו רעה מתוך שנאה".

⁸ He distinguishes the language of "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" from "וְאָהַבְתָּ את רֵעֲךָ", suggesting that only the latter would be a command to actually love the other, similar to the command to love Hashem "" .  The Torah, though, recognizes that loving Hashem is possible, but loving all fellow men might not be.  It thus suffices witha command that we do acts of love to another (לְרֵעֲךָ).

⁹ See above that he assumes that this commandment, too, refers not to the emotion of love but to do acts of love to another.

¹⁰ In his comments on the verse, though, R. Hoffmann explains like Ibn Ezra above that the verse refers to someone who hates you, and not someone whom you hate.  He is led to this reading, since in contrast to his comments in Vayikra, he says there that the Torah prohibits hating another even in secret.