ACHAREI MOS - KEDOSHIM

"DO NOT TAKE REVENGE NOR BEAR A GRUDGE..LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF..." (VAYIKRA 19:18)"

Rashi, on this posuk, explains the meaning of revenge by citing an illustration. Reuvain approaches Shimon and says, "Please lend me your sickle," to which Shimon responds, "No!" The next day Shimon approaches Reuvain and says, "Please lend me your axe." If Reuvain refuses, saying, "I will not lend you just as you did not loan me yesterday," this constitutes taking revenge. This is what is forbidden by the Torah.

What exactly are the Torah's parameters of "taking revenge?" The Mesilas Yesharim (Chapter 11) explains this in intricate detail. The Torah demands that Reuvain remove from his heart every trace of resentment and hatred toward Shimon, as if nothing ever happened. Even though Reuvain was deeply hurt by Shimon, and revenge, being sweeter to him than honey would seemingly be the only thing that will satisfy him and put him to rest, the Torah insists that he refrain from seeking vengeance. "If he can do this," says the Mesilas Yesharim, "..he is strong and courageous. Such conduct is easy only for the angels in heaven among whom evil traits do not exist...However, the King has decreed this upon us." The Torah further states, in this very same posuk, that not only must he not take revenge, but he must love his neighbor exactly as he loves himself - with no difference whatsoever.

Thus, according to the Mesilas Yesharim the Torah requires of Reuvain, who was so hurt by Shimon yesterday, not to take revenge. He must rather emulate the actions of celestial angels, and go against his grain in removing from his heart and completely forgetting all the pain that Shimon had caused him, as if the incident never occured. Secondly, the Torah requires of Reuvain not only not to hate Shimon, but to love him. Thirdly, the Torah demands that Reuvain not only love Shimon to a small degree, but rather to the same degree that he loves himself.

This is mystifying. How is it possible for the Torah to demand of each and every Jew - including every thirteen year old Bar Mitzvah Bochur, not to take revenge, something that is easy only for the angels in Heaven? Moreover, is it humanly possible for Reuvain who was so deeply hurt by Shimon to remove these deep-seated emotional feelings of resentment and hate harboring within him, and just forget that this incident ever occured? Furthermore, is it humanly possible for Reuvain to replace these intense and profound feelings of hate and resentment ingrained within him with love toward Shimon - as much love as Reuvain loves himself? How can the Torah possibly demand of an entire Klal Yisroel something which is unattainable and which is humanly impossible to achieve?

It seems that if the Torah does demand of us "Do not take revenge..Love thy neighbor as thyself," then Hashem has surely created within us the ability to fulfill it. Hashem would never impose upon us Mitzvos that we are not capable of fulfilling. If the Torah requires every Jew, even a thirteen year old child, to extinguish the fiery passions of hate and revenge burning within him and to replace it with love, then this must be something that the Yiddishe Neshama is capable of performing. Hashem has imbued us with a holy neshama of such richness and of such a capacity for greatness that it can enable us to achieve feats that would seemingly be reserved for only angels themselves. Not only do we have the capacity to totally remove any feelings of hate and desire for revenge that we may have within us, but we are also capable of replacing these feelings with the highest degree of love, the exact same degree of love that we have for ourselves.

What are the consequences if a person cannot accomplish this feat and does harbor within him hate, and does succumb to revenge? What does he transgress? It is not a minhag that he is violating, nor is it a Rabbinical prohibition that he is breaching. It is an Issur DeOraysa, a negative prohibition of the Torah, the transgression of which is the most devastating and destructive force that can be. He also violates non-fulfillment of "Love thy neighbor as thyself," a positive commandment, the fulfillment of which is the greatest asset that man can possess.

If we but focus all of our efforts to develop this inherent greatness that lies within our souls, we will be able to entirely eliminate any trace of hate harboring within us, and replace it with an abundance of love, as much love as we have for ourselves. May we merit to reach this supernal and angelic level of kedusha, a level that we are capable of achieving. Amen.