Hatred of the Heart/2

Hatred of the Heart

Exegetical Approaches

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Prohibition to Hate in All Cases

Overt and Covert Hating

Sources:Rejected possibility in RambanVayikra 19:17About R. Moshe b. Nachman, perhaps RalbagVayikra 19:17About R. Levi b. Gershom

"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 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.¹

"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.

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ"

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

Context

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

"תִשְׂנָא"

Hating Only in One's Heart

Sources:Sifra Vayikra19:16-17About the Sifra Vayikra, Bavli ArakhinArakhin 16bAbout the Bavli, Perhaps Ibn EzraVayikra 19:17Long Commentary Shemot 20:1About R. Avraham ibn Ezra,² RambamSefer HaMitzvot 302Hilchot Deiot 6:5About R. Moshe b. Maimon

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ" – These commentators say, as it seems from the simple reading of the verse, that "בִּלְבָבֶךָ" means only in one's heart.

Overt hating – The Rambam holds that although our verse is not talking about overt hating, there is a prohibition of overt hating from "לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר".

"כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ"

"וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ"

מצוות שבלב

Context

"אָחִיךָ"

"תִשְׂנָא"

Prohibition to Hate Under Certain Circumstances

"לֹא תִשְׂנָא" is only a prohibition for judges not to hate the defendant.

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

"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.

"בִּלְבָבֶךָ"

מצוות שבלב

Context

"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 talking about someone who hates another in their heart but pretends to the outside that he likes him.
• תוכחה - Rashbam, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, 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 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.

² In Tosafot HaShalem, Ibn Ezra is quoted as saying that the verse is talking about reproaching people who wrong you.