MISHPATIM

"IF YOU SEE THE DONKEY OF SOMEONE YOU HATE LYING UNDER ITS LOAD,YOU MIGHT WANT TO REFRAIN FROM HELPING HIM, BUT [INSTEAD] YOU MUST HELP HIM...(Shmos 23:5)"

The Gemorah (Psachim 113b) asks, "what is the meaning of "If you see the donkey of someone you hate etc.?" Is it then permitted to hate a fellow Jew? The Gemorah answers that this posuk is speaking about a specific case in which the owner of the donkey, Reuvain, had earlier committed a dvar ervah an indecent and immoral transgression, witnessed by Shimon, who happens to be passing by now. Shimon, who witnessed Reuvain's indiscretion alone, without another witness, was prohibited to testify against Reuvain since an immoral transgression, a dvar ervah, requires two witnesses. One witness who does come to testify would himself violate the transgression of motzi shem rah, bringing his fellow Jew to ill repute. Shimon is, nevertheless, permitted to hate Reuvain in his heart, since Shimon knows Reuvain to be a rasha, a transgressor of an immoral sin. Another opinion in the Gemorah goes even further. Not only is it permissible for Shimon to hate Reuvain, but he fulfills a mitzvah by doing so.

Thus according to the Gemorah, the posuk is dealing with Reuvain, whom Shimon knows to be a rasha and whom he hates. Shimon might not want to have anything to do with the wicked Reuvain, and might wish to desist from helping him to unload his overburdened donkey. The posuk commands Shimon otherwise. "Azov Taazov.." - You must help him.

The Targum Yonoson Ben Uziel translates these words, "Azov Taazov" in a different and novel manner. Rather than simply meaning "help," the Targum translates these words to mean "abandon." The posuk is thus saying that if Shimon sees the donkey of the wicked Reuvain, whom he hates, lying under its load, and would rather not associate himself with him nor help him, "Azov Taazov." The Targum Yonasan explains, "Abandon at that moment the hatred in your heart toward Reuvain and help him unload and load." Do not refuse to assist the wicked Reuvain because of the animosity in your heart toward him. Rather, rid yourself at that moment of your hatred and assist him.

This is mystifying. The feelings of hatred that Shimon has toward the wicked Reuvain are entirely justified and sanctioned by the Torah. Shimon's mobilization of his deepest emotions of hatred toward the wicked Reuvain even constitutes the fulfillment of a Mitzvah. If so, how is it possible for Shimon to instantaneously rid himself of these feelings and come to Reuvain's assistance? Shouldn't ridding himself of hatred, if it can be done at all, require many months of sweat and toil and study in order to achieve such an incredible feat? How is it possible for the Torah to demand of Shimon something which is humanly impossible?

Furthermore the Targum Yonoson Ben Uziel says, "Abandon at that moment the hatred in your heart toward him [Reuvain] and unload and load with him." This seems to imply that at that moment when you walk by and see Reuvain's donkey lying under its burden, abandon your hatred toward him and assist him. However, after completion of this assistance, return to your previous justified and Torah sanctioned hatred toward this wicked transgressor Reuvain. This is surely altogether impossible. How could Shimon instantaneously remove the deepest emotions of hatred harboring within him, and then upon completion of his assistance to Reuvain instantaneously resume his justifiable Torah hatred against Reuvain? Is a human being with deeply-rooted feelings and emotions like a mere light switch that can easily be turned on and off with the flick of a finger? How can the Torah demand of Shimon to have such control over his emotions, to instantaneously remove and resume hatred, something which surely is an impossible feat to achieve?

We see from here that if the Torah does demand of Shimon instantaneous control over his emotions, then this is something that a human being can, indeed, achieve. The holy Torah would never demand or expect of us something which is beyond our capacity. Shimon, harboring within him a deeply-rooted Torah sanctioned hatred toward the wicked Reuvain, has the ability to mobilize the forces within him, and instantaneously remove and resume his justifiable Torah sanctioned hatred toward Reuvain.

May we realize the incredible capacity and resources of Hashem's creation, the human being. Let no person say, "I am what I am, and nothing can possibly alter my character traits." May we be privileged to fulfill the posuk in Torah, "Do not hate your brother in your heart." May we be zoche to remove any hatred harboring within our hearts toward our fellow Jew, and supplant it with love. Amen.