Is This Senseless Hatred? Understanding Our Negative Emotions

If you’ll allow me, I’d like to open an old wound here. It is known that the Holy Temple was destroyed due to senseless hatred, and it will be rebuilt, God willing, soon through acts of loving kindness. It seems the time has come to discuss this. Has anyone among the readers ever encountered "senseless hatred" in their lives? When we think about it, there really is no such thing as senseless hatred... There is always a very fundamental reason behind it. Personally, I have never met anyone who didn’t have a ‘justification’ for the hatred they held. Inappropriate behavior on the road, in line at the store, in neighborly relations, in romantic partnerships, and so on – all of these can lead to hatred. Is this senseless hatred? Is there not a justification for the negative feelings that developed? Even when it comes to hatred stemming from opposing views. If everyone believes that the opinions of the other side lead to the destruction of the Jewish nation – this is certainly not senseless hatred...

So if we don’t know what senseless hatred is – how will we know to avoid making the same mistake over and over?

Well, the rule here is quite simple: separation between the issue itself and the person.

The distinction between opinions or behavior and the person who holds them is critical. It is possible, permitted, and perhaps even a commandment to hate negative behaviors and destructive opinions (in your view), but not the person behind them. Personal hatred towards them is completely senseless.

Thus, the Netziv writes in the introduction to the Book of Genesis, explaining why our sages referred to this book as “the Book of the Straight.”: "The Book of 'Genesis' is called by the prophets the Book of the Straight... and Rabbi Yochanan explains: This is the book of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were called by Balaam straight as it is said, 'May my soul die the death of the straight.'"

"And one must understand why Balaam called our ancestors specifically 'straight', not righteous or pious, etc.? ...And he prayed for himself that his end would be like that of those with this title!

"...Because this was the praise of the forefathers that besides being righteous, pious, and lovers of Hashem in the most possible way – they were also straight! It means they acted with the nations of the world, even with the ugly idol worshippers – nonetheless, they were with them in love and cared for their welfare as it is the very existence of creation. As we see how much our father Abraham pleaded to pray for Sodom even though he utterly despised them and their king for their wickedness, as explained in his discussion with the king of Sodom – nonetheless, he desired their existence... And for this reason, the Book of the Straight is named after the deeds of our forefathers in this particular aspect. And Balaam, in the moment of his prophecy, could not help but be astonished at the evil of his actions... even if it was fitting for him to hate Israel with utter hatred since they are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their head in the source of holiness, but still, it was not appropriate for him to seek to uproot an entire nation; and it is not the straight way for the existence of the world, and that is why he exclaimed, 'May my soul die the death of the straight.'"

In these days, we have been fortunate to see the Jewish people in all their glory. We have witnessed how, despite all the reasons, problems, and opposing views, we are all shoulder to shoulder, helping each other with boundless love. Love is precious. Hatred is free.