(18) You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the LORD.
Which "fellows" are se commanded to love?
Are we supposed to love someone who has wronged us?
(3) ואהבת לרעך כמוך, he is your colleague, friend if he is good; however, if he is wicked [you need not love him] as we know from Proverbs 8,13 יראת ה' שנאת רע, “to fear the Lord is to hate evil.”
Who is Rashbam including/excluding--good non-Jews? wicked Jews? What about 'benonim' (people with a mix of good and bad)?
(14) When you sell property to your countryman, or buy any from your countryman, you shall not wrong one another.
According to its plain sense the verse intimates what it literally means. But there is also a Midrashic interpretation: Whence can it be derived that if you sell anything you should sell it to your Israelite fellowman? From what Scripture states: “And if you sell — ,לעמיתך sell it to one associated with you by nationality”. And whence can it be derived that if you intend to buy anything that you should buy it of your Israelite fellow? From what Scripture states “or if thou buy ought — מיד עמיתך, at the hand of one associated with thee, buy it” (Sifra, Behar, Section 3 1).
How does this sit with you?
(35) If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, [or he is] a resident alien, let him live by your side: (36) do not exact from him advance or accrued interest, but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman. (37) Do not lend him your money at advance interest, or give him your food at accrued interest.
Which people now qualify as such "strangers" (thinking about the groups I mentioned above)
How does this relate to the mitzvah to love our neighbor--is it an extension of the same mitzvah, or a different love?
גר ותושב וגו׳ – חכמינו למדים מכאן, שגם גר-תושב, היינו הגר שקיבל עליו רק את שבע מצוות בני-נח בלבד, ״אתה מצווה להחיותו״. הספרא לפסוק זה: ״גר״ זה ״גר צדק״ ו״תושב״ זה ״גר תושב״.
David Tzvi Hoffman:
Our rabbis learned that "resident ger" is a convert who accepted only the 7 Noahide laws, [and for such a person] you are obligated to sustain him. Sifra on this verse: "ger" means convert, "vetoshav" means ger toshav
A ger toshav ("resident alien") is a Gentile (non-Jew) living in the Land of Israel who accepts to follow the Seven Laws of Noah. The seven commandments of the Noahic Covenant to which the ger toshav agrees to be bound are enumerated in the Babylonian Talmud (Avodah Zarah 8:4, Sanhedrin 56a-b):
- Do not worship idols.
- Do not curse God.
- Do not murder.
- Do not commit adultery, bestiality, or sexual immorality.
- Do not steal.
- Do not eat flesh torn from a living animal.
- Establish courts of justice
To abstain from idolatrous practices of any kind (detailed in Exodus 20:2–4 and Deuteronomy 5:6–8).[3]
To uphold all the 613 commandments in rabbinical enumeration, except for the prohibition against eating kosher animals that died by means other than ritual slaughter, or possibly (Meiri) any prohibition not involving kareth.
The accepted opinion is that the ger toshav must accept the seven Noahide laws before a rabbinical court of three.[3][8] He will receive certain legal protection and privileges from the community, the rules regarding Jewish-Gentile relations are modified, and there is an obligation to render him aid when in need. The restrictions on having a Gentile do work for a Jew on the Shabbat are also greater when the Gentile is a ger toshav.[8]
In the informal sense, a ger toshav is a Gentile who accepts to follow the seven Noahide laws on his own, or alternatively, simply rejects idolatry (the latter issue is in particular brought up regarding Muslims). According to the rabbinic tradition, a Gentile who accepts to follow the seven Noahide laws, although not before a beth din, is still regarded as Chassid Umot ha-Olam ("Pious People of the World"), and the observance of the Seven Laws of Noah grants him to be assured of a place in the World to Come (Olam Ha-Ba.
https://eng.beithillel.org.il/responsa/attitude-toward-other-nations-living-in-state-israel/
The Rambam (Laws of Idol Worshipping, ch. 10, law 2) writes: “It is forbidden to heal an idol worshipper, but if he fears him, or is apprehensive over possible hostility, then he may heal for a fee, but it is forbidden to do so without pay; but a ger toshav (foreign resident), since you are commanded to sustain him, you may heal him without pay.” The Rambam adds: “One does not sell them houses or fields in the Land of Israel, but one may rent houses to them in the Land of Israel, on condition that they do not create a neighborhood, and one may not rent fields to them.” The Rambam further states: “Even when it is permitted to rent to them, the intention is not a house to live in, for he might bring in idols; and one does not sell them fruit or produce which is connected to the ground, as it says ’Lo Techanem’ – do not give them a place to settle (‘chanaya’) upon the land, for if they will not have land, their dwelling will be a temporary dwelling.”
Elsewhere, the Rambam writes: “One sustains the poor of idol worshippers together with the poor of Israel for the sake of maintaining peaceful relations (Gifts to the Poor, 7, 7), and, “One asks how they are keeping for the sake of maintaining peaceful relations (Idol Worship 10, 5). After all of the above, The Rambam writes (ibid, law 6): “All this is relevant only when Israel is exiled among idol worshippers, or they have the upper hand over Israel, but when Israel has the upper hand, it is forbidden for us to maintain idol worshippers among us, and even if he dwells temporarily; until he commits himself to the seven commandments that the sons of Noah were commanded; and if he commits himself to these seven commandments, then he becomes a ger toshav; but we do not accept a ger toshav, except in periods in which the Jubilee year is observed.” According to the Rambam, since it is not possible to accept gerim toshavim (foreign residents) in our period, there are those who claim that it is not permissible to allow non-Jews to settle in the State of Israel.
Rav Yitzhak Isaac Halevi Herzog: status of non-Jews in Israel
Herzog, in his book, “תחוקה לישראל על פי התורה “ (pp. 12-21) is of the opinion that it is possible to consider the majority of the non-Jewish residents of Israel to be in the category of Ger Toshav, and to accordingly afford them equal rights. Rav Herzog bases his position on three suppositions:
- Neither Muslims nor Christians are classified as idol worshippers. This is true of Muslims because all of their worship is directed to one God, as the Rambam already ruled in a number of places. As for the Christians, even if they believe in the Trinity and link other entities together with God, nevertheless the Sons of Noah were not prohibited from including other entities in their belief, and it is therefore not considered to be idol worship. Even Catholics, who use the crucifixion as part of their ritual, do not actually worship the figure, and therefore this also is not actual idol worship.
- In the Laws of Idol Worship (10, 6), the Rambam rules that when “the hand of Israel is not dominant,” it is forbidden to allow a non-Jew who is not a Ger Toshav to dwell in the Land of Israel. But the Ra’avad in his comments on this law, disagrees and states that if the person does not worship idols, he is allowed to settle in the Land of Israel, while the Kesef Mishne at this point writes that even the Rambam agrees to this. According to these lenient positions, there is no problem in allowing people of other nations to settle in the Land of Israel, as long as they do not worship idols.
- Additionally, one must take into account the words of Rav Avraham Yitzhak Hacohen Kook, in his responsa “משפט כהן” (ch. 58, sec. 61): “An entire nation that behaves according to such manners shall be considered for this matter as Ger Toshav.” Namely, the people of a nation that, as part of their beliefs, conduct themselves according to the Noahide laws, do not need to specifically commit themselves before a Beit Din, authorized for this purpose. (The author of “כלי חמדה” wrote similarly, חמדת ישראל, p. 202.) For this reason, the fact that the Jubilee is not commemorated today does not create a problem. Indeed, accepting a Ger Toshav in front of a Beit Din is dependent upon the Jubilee being commemorated. However, according to this understanding, an entire nation that behaves suitably according to their beliefs, does not need to be accepted by a Beit Din, and the people of such a nation are considered Ger Toshav even when the Jubilee is not commemorated.
(ב) ואהבת לרעך כמוך. כמו שאתה רוצה שיאהב אותך, דעלך סני לחברך לא לא תעביד; ואהבת לרעך כמוך, פי' הוא כמוך ביראה ואם לאו לא תאהבנו, שנאמר: יראת ה' שנאת רע.
ואם תאמר: מאי שנא שאין הקב"ה מזהיר בלאו על אותו שלא רצה להשאיל לי מגלו ולא היה לו שום טענה עלי שלא עשיתי לו מאומה, ולי יש לי טענה עליו שלא רצה להשאיל לי, הזהיר בלאו אם לא משאיל לו קרדומו, איכא למימר, שאותו לא הניח בשנאה אלא שחביב מגלו עליו ואינו רוצה להשאילו ולא הכריחו הכתוב להשאיל את שלו שלא כרצונו, אבל לך שקרדומך עשוי להשאיל שהרי היית משאיל לו לולא הנקימה, ואם כן משנאה ומרעי לב אתה מניח להשאיל, ואומר לך הקב"ה: תנצח האהבה שיש לך עמי את השנאה שיש לך עמו ותשאיל לו בשביל אהבתי ולא תקום, ומתוך כך יבא שלום ביניכם....וזהו דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום. אני ה'. וראויה אהבתי לשכח את השנאה:
Just as you desire for him to love you-- "that which is hateful to you, do not do to your friend." This is explained: "like you" in fear, and if not do not love him, as it says, "One who fears God hates evil."
If you say: why the distinction: God doesn't warn one who didn't want to lend me his book, when he had nothing against me since I didn't do anything to him. I have a complaint against him, that he didn't want to lend to me, and now it warns me with violating a rule if I don't lend him my shovel!
The answer is, he is not left in hatred, but rather his book is dear to him, and he doesn't want to lend it, so Torah doesn't force him to lend his property against his will. But you, who lend out your shovel, and you would have lent it to him were it not for your grudge- you are only with-holding it out of hatred and negativity in your heart. God says to you: "let your love for Me overcome your hatred for him, and lend it because of your love for me, and do not take revenge, and out of this peace will come between you... This is "all her pathways are peace." "I am God"-it is appropriate for love of Me to displace the hatred.
Rabbi Laura Duham Kaplan:
The Torah is teaching that we should love simply because there is a God. We should not love because we are happy and satisfied and all is right with our lives – because that often isn’t the case. We should not love because a person deserves to be loved – lots of times people don’t deserve to be loved because they haven’t been loving.
The Torah is asking us to practice “ahavat chinam” – baseless love. Vayikra teaches that hateful acts pollute the sanctuary. And it’s well-known that our sages taught that “sinat chinam” – baseless hatred, expressed through civil war, led to the destruction of the sanctuary. In their view, any hatred is baseless – because the system of revenge, of giving people back evil for evil, is illogical, senseless, and destructive.
When the text already directs every Israelite to love aliens as oneself, what would be the point of saying to love only Israelites—in the very same chapter! Now my friend Jack Milgrom, of blessed memory, wrote that it is precisely because the love of the alien is specifically mentioned there that love of “neighbor” must mean only a fellow Israelite.
I see his point, but his position would have been more likely if the verse about love of aliens had come first in the text and the love of neighbor had came later. But the instruction to love aliens comes after we’ve already had the instruction to love your neighbor as oneself. That is, if you tell people first to love their aliens and then give a second instruction to love their neighbors, that second instruction really does sound like an addition because the first group, aliens, obviously doesn’t include the second group, neighbors. But if you tell people first to love their neighbors, then a second instruction to love aliens a few verses later can make sense as a specification for anyone who would have thought that love of neighbor didn’t include loving others as well.
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
To be clear, I'm not Christian; I do think this passage is a stinging critique of one Rabbinic approach to Leviticus 19:18.
What is the critique? Does it apply to all rabbinic interpretations of the verse?
What do you think of the critique?
Is there any justification for disagreeing with the critique, i.e. applying the mitzvah more narrowly?
(א) מצות אהבת ישראל - לאהב כל אחד מישראל אהבת נפש, כלומר שנחמל על ישראל ועל ממונו כמו שאדם חומל על עצמו וממונו, שנאמר (ויקרא יט יח) ואהבת לרעך כמוך. ואמרו זכרונם לברכה (שבת לא א) דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד. ואמרו בספרא (קדושים ד יב) אמר רבי עקיבא זה כלל גדול בתורה, כלומר, שהרבה מצות שבתורה תלויות בכך, שהאוהב חברו כנפשו לא יגנב ממונו ולא ינאף את אשתו, ולא יונהו בממון ולא בדברים, ולא יסיג גבולו, ולא יזיק לו בשום צד, וכן כמה מצות אחרות תלויות בזה. ידוע [גלוי] הדבר לכל בן דעת.
(ב) שרש המצוה ידוע, כי כמו שיעשה הוא בחברו, כן יעשה חברו בו, ובזה היה שלום בין הבריות.
(ג) ודיני מצוה זו, כלולים הם בתוך המצוה, שכלל הכל הוא שיתנהג האדם עם חברו כמו שיתנהג האדם עצמו לשמר ממונו ולהרחיק ממנו כל נזק. ואם יספר עליו דברים יספרם לשבח ויחוס על כבודו ולא יתכבד בקלונו, וכמו שאמרו זכרונם לברכה (ירושלמי חגיגה פ''ב ה''א) המתכבד בקלון חברו אין לו חלק לעולם הבא, והמתנהג עם חברו דרך אהבה ושלום ורעות ומבקש תועלתם ושמח בטובם עליו הכתוב אומר (ישעיהו מט ג): ישראל אשר בך אתפאר.
(ד) ונוהגת מצוה זו בכל מקום ובכל זמן. והעובר עליה ולא נזהר בממון חבירו לשמרו, וכל שכן אם הזיק אותו בממון או צערו בשום דבר לדעת בטל עשה זה מלבד החיוב שבו לפי הענין שהזיקו, כמו שמפרש במקומו.
(1) The commandment of love of Israel: To love [with] love of the soul each one of Israel - meaning to say that we have compassion for an Israelite and for his money, [just] like a person has compassion for himself and for his [own] money; as it stated (Leviticus 19:18), "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 31a), "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow." And they said in Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 4:12, "Rabbi Akiva said, 'This is a great principle in the Torah'" - meaning to say that many commandments are dependent upon it. As one that loves his fellow like himself will not steal his money, have adultery with his wife, cheat his money from him nor hurt him from any angle. And so [too,] are there several other commandments dependent on this - the thing is well-known [revealed] to all who have intellect.
(2) The root of the commandment is well-known - as in the way that he acts to his fellow, so will his fellow act to him. And there will be peace among the creatures with this.
(3) And the laws of this commandment are included in the commandment, as the general principle of everything is that a man behave with his fellow in the way that a man behaves [with] himself - to guard his money and to distance all injury from him. And if he recounts things about him, he recounts them for praise, and he relate to his honor; and he does not become honored through his disgrace - and as they, may their memory be blessed, said (Talmud Yerushalmi Chagigah 2:1), "One who is honored by the disgrace of his fellow has no share in the world to come, but one who treats his fellow with love, peace and neighborliness, seeks their benefit and is happy about their good, the verse states about him, 'Israel, about you will I be glorified' (Isaiah 49:3)."
(4) And this commandment is practiced in every place and at all times. And one who transgresses it and is not careful about the money of his fellow, to guard it - and all the more so, if he injures him with money or caused him pain in any matter, volitionally - has violated this positive commandment; besides the liability that there is in it according to the matter in which he injured him, as is explained in its place.
Based on his reasoning, is there any logical reason for this to only apply to Jews?
(21) O LORD, You know I hate those who hate You, and loathe Your adversaries.
שְׁלֹשָׁה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹהֲבָן: מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כּוֹעֵס, וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּכֵּר, וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד עַל מִדּוֹתָיו. שְׁלֹשָׁה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹנְאָן: הַמְדַבֵּר אֶחָד בַּפֶּה וְאֶחָד בַּלֵּב, וְהַיּוֹדֵעַ עֵדוּת בַּחֲבֵירוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מֵעִיד לוֹ, וְהָרוֹאֶה דְּבַר עֶרְוָה בַּחֲבֵירוֹ וּמֵעִיד בּוֹ יְחִידִי.
כִּי הָא דְּטוֹבִיָּה חָטָא, וַאֲתָא זִיגּוּד לְחוּדֵיהּ וְאַסְהֵיד בֵּיהּ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב פָּפָּא. נַגְּדֵיהּ לְזִיגּוּד. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: טוֹבִיָּה חֲטָא וְזִיגּוּד מִינַּגַּד?! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ״, וְאַתְּ לְחוֹדָךְ אַסְהֵדְתְּ בֵּיהּ, שֵׁם רַע בְּעָלְמָא קָא מַפְּקַתְּ בֵּיהּ.
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר רַב: מוּתָּר לִשְׂנֹאתוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי תִרְאֶה חֲמוֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ רוֹבֵץ תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ״.
מַאי ״שׂוֹנֵא״? אִילֵּימָא שׂוֹנֵא גּוֹי, וְהָא תַּנְיָא: שׂוֹנֵא שֶׁאָמְרוּ — שׂוֹנֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא שׂוֹנֵא גּוֹי. אֶלָּא פְּשִׁיטָא, שׂוֹנֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמִי שְׁרֵיא לְמִסְנְיֵהּ? וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבֶךָ״. אֶלָּא דְּאִיכָּא סָהֲדִי דְּעָבֵיד אִיסּוּרָא — כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא נָמֵי מִיסְנֵי סָנֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי שְׁנָא הַאי? אֶלָּא לָאו כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא, דַּחֲזָיא בֵּיהּ אִיהוּ דְּבַר עֶרְוָה.
רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: מִצְוָה לִשְׂנֹאתוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יִרְאַת ה׳ (שׂוֹנְאֵי) רָע״.
אָמַר רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא לְרַב אָשֵׁי: מַהוּ לְמֵימְרָא לֵיהּ לְרַבֵּיהּ לְמִשְׂנְיֵיהּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי יָדַע דִּמְהֵימַן לְרַבֵּיהּ כְּבֵי תְרֵי — לֵימָא לֵיהּ, וְאִי לָא — לָא לֵימָא לֵיהּ.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, loves three people: One who does not get angry; one who does not get drunk; and one who is forgiving. The Holy One, Blessed be He, hates three people: One who says one statement with his mouth and means another in his heart, i.e., a hypocrite; one who knows testimony about another person and does not testify on his behalf; and one who observes a licentious matter performed by another person and testifies against him alone. His testimony is meaningless, as he is the only witness; consequently, he merely gives the individual a bad reputation.
The Gemara comments: This is like that incident where Tuveya sinned with immorality, and Zigud came alone to testify about him before Rav Pappa. Rav Pappa instructed that Zigud be lashed. Zigud said to him: Tuveya sinned and Zigud is lashed, an objection that became a popular saying. He said to him: Yes, as it is written: “One witness shall not rise up against a man” (Deuteronomy 19:15), and you testified against him alone. You have merely given him a bad reputation.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak said that Rav said: Although one who sees another committing a sin should not testify against him by himself, he is nonetheless permitted to hate him, as it is stated: “If you see the donkey of he who hates you lying under its load” (Exodus 23:5). The Gemara clarifies this verse:
What is the meaning of he who hates you mentioned in the verse? If you say it is referring to a gentile who hates you, but wasn’t it taught in a baraita that the phrase: He who hates, of which the Torah spoke, is a Jew who hates you, not a gentile who hates you? Rather, it is obvious that the verse is referring to a Jew who hates you. But is one permitted to hate a fellow Jew? But isn’t it written: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17), which clearly prohibits the hatred of another Jew? Rather, perhaps you will say that the verse is referring to a situation where there are witnesses that he performed a sin. However, in that case, everyone else should also hate him. What is different about this particular person who hates him? Rather, is it not referring to a case like this, when he saw him perform a licentious matter? He is therefore permitted to hate him for his evil behavior, whereas others who are unaware of his actions may not hate him.
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Not only is this permitted, it is even a mitzva to hate him, as it is stated: “The fear of God is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi:
What is the halakha with regard to whether one who saw someone sin may tell his teacher so that he too will hate him? Rav Ashi said to him: If the student knows that he is trusted by his teacher as two witnesses, and therefore his statement will be accepted, he should tell him, and if he is not trusted by his teacher as two witnesses, he should not tell him.
לַמִּינִים וְלַמַּלְשִׁינִים אַל־תְּהִי תִקְוָה, וְכָל־הַזֵּדִים כְּרֶֽגַע יֹאבֵֽדוּ, וְכָל־אֽוֹיְבֶֽיךָ וְכָל־שֽׂוֹנְאֶֽיךָ מְהֵרָה יִכָּרֵֽתוּ, וּמַלְכוּת הָֽרִשְׁעָה מְהֵרָה תְעַקֵּר וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְכַלֵּם וְתַכְנִיעֵם בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵֽינוּ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יָהָוָהָ, שׁוֹבֵר אוֹיְבִים וּמַכְנִֽיעַ מִינִים
From the wekday Amida:
For the informers & the heretics, let there be no hope. And all the wicked, let them perish in an instant, And all Your enemies & all Your haters, may they quickly be terminated, & as for a wicked government, may You uproot & smash & terminate & subdue them speedily in our days. Blessed are You, God, Who smashes the enemies & subdues wicked.
How do you feel when you say this prayer? Which people do you think of? Does it seem "spiritual"?
(יא) השונא האמור בתורה לא מעכו"ם הוא אלא מישראל והיאך יהיה לישראל שונא [מישראל] והכתוב אומר לא תשנא את אחיך בלבבך אמרו חכמים כגון שראהו לבדו שעבר עבירה והתרה בו ולא חזר הרי מצוה לשנאותו עד שיעשה תשובה וישוב מרשעתו ואע"פ שעדיין לא עשה תשובה אם מצאו נבהל במשאו מצוה לטעון ולפרוק עמו ולא יניחנו נוטה למות שמא ישהה בשביל ממונו ויבא לידי סכנה והתורה הקפידה על נפשות ישראל בין רשעים בין צדיקים מאחר שהם נלוים אל ה' ומאמינים בעיקר הדת שנאמר אמור אליהם חי אני נאם ה' אלהים אם אחפוץ במות הרשע כי אם בשוב רשע מדרכו וחיה:
When the Torah refers to an enemy it is not referring to an idolater, but a Jew. How can Jew be an enemy of another Jew when the Torah says, “do not hate your brother in your heart?” The Rabbis gave an example of where he by himself saw someone violate a sin and he warned him but he did not retract. In such a case there is a mitzvah to hate him until he repents and returns from his wicked way. Even if he has not yet repented, if the finder found him scared with his load, he is commanded to load and unload with him and not leave him there to die in the event he stays there to guard his money and comes to endanger himself. The Torah cares about both wicked and righteous Jews lives if they are joined with God and believe in the primary principles, as the verse states, “say to them, as I live, says God, If I were to desire the death of the wicked. Rather, the wicked should return and live.”
Based on this, what actions can we take with our Jewish "enemies"? What actions can we not take?
What about more serious enemies?
Translated by Tzvi Freedman; from chabad.org
Let's say you have accomplished that which we just discussed—you despise the body-self and all you celebrate is the joy of the soul alone. Now you have a direct, easy route to fulfilling the mitzvah of loving another Jew as yourself. And this love will be towards every Jew, great and small.
You see, since you despise the body-self, obviously that will not be the critical factor in your relationship with another Jew. That leaves only your soul and spirit—and who can know how great and how high is the soul and the spirit of another Jew in their root and their source in the living G‑d?
Especially when you consider that all souls are matching and that we all have one Father. That is why all Jews are called brothers—because they literally are brothers at the root of their souls in G‑d's oneness. It is only their body-selves that differentiate them.
It turns out that those who make their body-self their principal concern and provide their soul only a background role can never experience true love and brotherhood. Whatever love they experience will be conditional.
Hillel the Elder had this in mind when he said that by fulfilling this mitzvah you have "the entire Torah, all of it—and the rest is commentary..." How could this be? Because the basis of the entire Torah at its very root is a twofold dynamic: First of all, the act of picking up the soul and raising its status over the body-self, higher and yet higher until it reaches the core root level of all existence—which, as we explained, is the necessary condition to fulfillment of this mitzvah.
And secondly, to draw inward the Infinite Light within the community of Israel. That means into the source of all Jewish souls (as we will explain later) so that they are rendered in a state of "one within One." This cannot happen, however, when there is division among the souls, G‑d forbid. In the language of the Zohar, "G‑d does not dwell in a blemished place." And as we say in our prayers, "Bless us, our Father, all of us as one in the light of Your presence." Elsewhere, we will provide more explanation.
What about the statement in the Talmud that if you see your colleague sinning you must hate him, and also tell his teacher so that he should hate him as well?
That's talking about someone who is your peer, who learns Torah and does all the mitzvahs. He did something that he should have realized is wrong and you rebuked him for it, as the Torah instructs you, "Rebuke, you shall rebuke your comrade." The word for comrade used here is "amitecha." Who is amitecha? The Talmud tells us that this means those people who are with you in Torah and mitzvahs. Nevertheless, this friend of yours still has not repented from his sin. This is how the situation is described in Sefer Chareidim.
Let's say, however, this person is not your comrade in Torah and you are not close with him. In that case, Hillel the Elder instructs you to "be of the disciples of Aaron: love peace...love those that were created and attract them to Torah." He was speaking of those who are far from G‑d's Torah and from being observant Jews—which is why he calls them just "those that were created." He was saying that you must pull in these people with thick cords of love, and perhaps, with all this effort, perhaps you will attract them to Torah and to the service of G‑d. Perhaps yes, perhaps not. Whatever the outcome, you have not lost the reward for showing love to a fellow Jew.
This love also applies to those who are close to you—the ones that you have rebuked and yet have not repented of their sins. Yes, it is a mitzvah to hate them, but it is also a mitzvah to love them—and both in all earnestness: Hatred due to the evil within them and love due to that aspect of good that is buried within them—meaning the spark of G‑dliness within them that vitalizes their G‑dly soul.
Aside from this, you need to inspire your heart towards compassion for this G‑dly soul. It is in exile within the evil of the sitra achra that dominates it in those that do wrong. Once you awaken that compassion, it can overwhelm the hatred and stir up the love. Think of the interpretation given to the verse, "To Jacob who redeemed Abraham." Jacob is the quality of compassion and Abraham the quality of love, and compassion redeems love from within the hatred.