To not hate brothers: To not hate with hatred of the heart any Israelite, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:17), “You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” And the language of Sifra Kedoshim, Chapter 4:8 is “I have only said hatred that is in the heart.” And likewise in Arakhin 16b, “The verse is speaking about hatred in the heart.” But when he shows him hatred, and [the other] knows that he is his enemy, he does not violate this negative commandment. However he does violate “You shall not take vengeance and not bear a grudge.” And he likewise violates a positive commandment, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:18), “and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And nonetheless hatred of the heart is worse than all revealed hatred, and [so] the Torah especially warns about it.
The root of the commandment is well-known — as hatred of the heart causes great evils among people, being a constant ‘sword between a man and his brother’ and a man and his neighbor. And it is a cause for all of the informing that is done among people, and it is a lowly and completely disgusting trait among all people of intellect.
The details of the commandment and the many warnings that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, warned us about it — not to accustom ourselves to this evil — are elucidated in the Talmud in scattered [places] and in the Midrash.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and fixes hatred in his heart towards any proper Israelite has violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. But there is no prohibition in the hatred of the evildoers, but rather [it is] a commandment to hate them, after we rebuke them about their sin many times and they do not want to return, as it is stated (Psalms 139:21), “Do I not, Lord, hate Your enemies, and argue with those that come against You.”
שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׂנֹא אַחִים – שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׂנֹא שִׂנְאַת הַלֵּב אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט יז) לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבְךָ (קדושים ד ח). וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא, לֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֶלָּא שִׂנְאָה שֶׁהִיא בַּלֵּב. וּכְמוֹ כֵן בַּעֲרָכִין (טז ב) בְּשִׂנְאָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּרְאֶה לוֹ שִׂנְאָה וְיֵדַע שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹנְאוֹ אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר עַל זֶה הַלָּאו, אָמְנָם הוּא עוֹבֵר עַל לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר, וְעוֹבֵר כְּמוֹ כֵן עַל עֲשֵׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יח) וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם שִׂנְאַת הַלֵּב הִיא קָשָׁה מִכָּל הַשִּׂנְאָה הַגְּלוּיָה, וְעָלֶיהָ תַּזְהִיר הַתּוֹרָה בְּיוֹתֵר.
To not hate brothers: To not hate with hatred of the heart any Israelite, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:17), “You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” And the language of Sifra Kedoshim, Chapter 4:8 is “I have only said hatred that is in the heart.” And likewise in Arakhin 16b, “The verse is speaking about hatred in the heart.” But when he shows him hatred, and [the other] knows that he is his enemy, he does not violate this negative commandment. However he does violate “You shall not take vengeance and not bear a grudge.” And he likewise violates a positive commandment, as it is stated (Leviticus 19:18), “and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And nonetheless hatred of the heart is worse than all revealed hatred, and [so] the Torah especially warns about it.
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה יָדוּעַ. כִּי שִׂנְאַת הַלֵּב גּוֹרֶמֶת רָעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת בֵּין בְּנֵי אָדָם לִהְיוֹת תָּמִיד חֶרֶב אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו וְאִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ, וְהִיא סִבָּה לְכָל הַמְּסִירוֹת הַנַּעֲשׂוֹת בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים, וְהִיא הַמִּדָּה הַפְּחוּתָה וְהַנִּמְאֶסֶת תַּכְלִית הַמֵּאוּס בְּעֵינֵי כָּל בַּעַל שֵׂכֶל.
The root of the commandment is well-known — as hatred of the heart causes great evils among people, being a constant ‘sword between a man and his brother’ and a man and his neighbor. And it is a cause for all of the informing that is done among people, and it is a lowly and completely disgusting trait among all people of intellect.
פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה וְרֻבֵּי הָאַזְהָרוֹת שֶׁהִזְהִירוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה עָלֶיהָ שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְגִּיל נַפְשֵׁנוּ בְּמִדָּה רָעָה זוֹ, מְבֹאָרִים בַּתַּלְמוּד בְּפִזּוּר וּבַמִּדְרָשִׁים.
The details of the commandment and the many warnings that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, warned us about it — not to accustom ourselves to this evil — are elucidated in the Talmud in scattered [places] and in the Midrash.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְקָבַע שִׂנְאָה בְּלִבּוֹ לְאֶחָד מִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכְּשֵׁרִים עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, אֲבָל בְּשִׂנְאַת הָרְשָׁעִים, אֵין בּוֹ אִסּוּר, אֶלָּא מִצְוָה לִשְׂנֹאתָם אַחַר שֶׁנּוֹכִיחַ אוֹתָם עַל חֶטְאָם הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים וְלֹא רָצוּ לַחְזֹר בָּהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט כא) הֲלֹא מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ יְיָ אֶשְׂנָא וּבִתְקוֹמְמֶיךָ אֶתְקוֹטָט.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and fixes hatred in his heart towards any proper Israelite has violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, as there is no act [involved] with it. But there is no prohibition in the hatred of the evildoers, but rather [it is] a commandment to hate them, after we rebuke them about their sin many times and they do not want to return, as it is stated (Psalms 139:21), “Do I not, Lord, hate Your enemies, and argue with those that come against You.”