Baseless hatred is considered equivalent to three cardinal sins: idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed * The punishment for baseless hatred is more severe * Baseless hatred is the cause of most transgressions a person commits * Those who sin through hatred of others tend to avoid responsibility and find ways to evade public duties * Baseless hatred most profoundly damages the purpose of creation and the destiny God intended for humanity, especially for Israel His people * The more the public despises those who sow discord, the more public leaders and media figures will improve their ways
Why the First and Second Temples were destroyed
Our Sages said: “Why was the First Temple destroyed? Because of three things that existed there: idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed… But the Second Temple, where they were engaged in Torah, commandments, and acts of kindness, why was it destroyed? Because there was baseless hatred. This teaches that baseless hatred is equivalent to the three transgressions: idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed” (Yoma 9b).
Baseless Hatred is Equivalent to the Three Severe Transgressions
Moreover, the punishment for baseless hatred is more severe, as explained further in the Gemara: “They asked Rabbi Elazar: Were the first generations greater, or the later ones? He said to them: Look at the Temple… it is your witness.” Meaning, look at the Temple and you will see that the First Temple was rebuilt after seventy years. But for the sin of baseless hatred, the Temple is still destroyed.
The extreme severity of baseless hatred can be explained in three ways, each building upon the other: 1) in practice, most commandments depend on love for others, and are negated by baseless hatred. 2) Without proper conduct, there is no Torah. 3) Baseless hatred prevents cleaving to God.
1. Most Commandments Depend on This
In practice, most commandments that a person encounters in their life deal with interpersonal matters, such as conducting business faithfully, not stealing, not shaming others, not speaking ill of others, giving charity, lending money, returning lost items, judging fairly, speaking truthfully, and more. Thus, baseless hatred is the cause of most transgressions a person commits, while love for others is the cause of most commandments a person fulfills. This is how Rashi explained Hillel the Elder’s words to a convert who asked to learn the entire Torah while standing on one foot: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow – this is the entire Torah, and the rest you should continue to study” (Shabbat 31a).
Apparently, when they said that in the Second Temple period they were also engaged in acts of kindness, it refers specifically to kindness within their own groups, not towards those outside their circles.
2. Without Proper Conduct, There is No Torah
Baseless hatred expresses a loss of proper conduct, and our Sages said that without proper conduct there is no Torah (Avot 3:17). Therefore, the Torah was given only after 26 generations, to teach us that “proper conduct precedes Torah” (Vayikra Rabbah 9:3).
A person who is refined in proper conduct is diligent in their work and knows how to interact with others, thereby being responsible for their family’s livelihood, and a partner in settling the world. However, those who sin with hatred of others tend not to take responsibility for their family’s livelihood, deceive their employers, steal from others, and find ways to evade public duties. Such a person, even if they engage in Torah study, will not understand it properly, but will be debased with the permission of the Torah. As our Sages said about one who studies not for its own sake and without fear of Heaven, that their Torah becomes a deadly poison for them (Taanit 7a; Yoma 72b).
Even if they want to study Torah for its own sake, since they are flawed in proper conduct, they will not be able to listen respectfully to their peers’ words, will disrespect those greater and better than them, will poison study halls with slander, will increase disputes like Korach, and will lose their world.
3. Damage to Faith and Revelation of the Divine Presence
God commanded Israel “to walk in all His ways and to cleave to Him” (Deuteronomy 11:22). And also: ” You shall follow the Lord your God, fear Him, keep His commandments, obey His voice, serve Him, and cleave to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:5). Our Sages asked: “Is it possible for a person to walk after the Divine Presence?… Rather, it means to walk after the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Just as He clothes the naked… so should you clothe the naked; The Holy One, Blessed be He, visited the sick… so should you visit the sick; The Holy One, Blessed be He, comforted mourners… so should you comfort mourners; The Holy One, Blessed be He, buried the dead… so should you bury the dead” (Sotah 14a).
This is what “Rabbi Simlai expounded: “The Torah begins with acts of kindness, and ends with acts of kindness.” Rashi also explained: “And to Him shall you cleave – cleave to His ways. Perform acts of kindness, bury the dead, visit the sick, as the Holy One, Blessed be He, did” (Deuteronomy 13:5). And in Sifre (on Deuteronomy 11:22) are brought the words quoted by Rambam (Hilchot De’ot 1:6) in explaining the commandment “and you shall walk in His ways”: “Just as He is called gracious, so should you be gracious, just as He is called merciful, so should you be merciful, just as He is called holy, so should you be holy.”
In other words, God created the world incomplete, and created man in His image, in the image of God, so that he would walk in His ways and be a partner with Him in perfecting the world. Just as God is merciful and gracious, good to all and His mercy is upon all His works, and opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing, so too should man be good and benevolent to others. Indeed, sometimes God reveals Himself in the world through the attribute of jealousy and vengeance, judgment and punishment. However, when our Sages explained how to walk in His ways and cleave to Him, they did not mention these attributes, but only the attributes that benefit and sustain reality, because these are the fundamental attributes, while jealousy and judgment are secondary to them, in order to serve and maintain the beneficial attributes. As it is said: “For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father, the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12).
Therefore, baseless hatred damages in the deepest way the purpose of the world’s creation and the destiny God intended for humanity, especially for Israel His people. That’s why the destruction of the Second Temple due to the sin of baseless hatred, is more severe and prolonged than the destruction of the First Temple. And so our Sages said: “Beloved are Israel, for even when they are impure, the Divine Presence is among them, as it is said: ‘Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurities'” (Sifre, Parashat Masei 161). And one who does not understand the foundational principle that God dwells among Israel despite their impurity, removes the Divine Presence from Israel.
Disputes are Necessary
One might think, ostensibly, that to prevent baseless hatred we must avoid sharp disputes, and demand from all those whose opinions differ, to give up their views for the sake of unity and love. And if they do not agree, to accuse them of baseless hatred and divisiveness. However, the truth is that it is proper for every person and group to express their position. First, because often there is some truth in every opinion, and after the dispute, the correct aspects of each view become clear. And even when a certain opinion is mistaken, it still has value, because in debating it, those with the correct opinion are required to clarify and refine their words.
In other words, disputes are necessary and beneficial; all we need to do is focus the dispute on the issue at hand, and not expand it to other areas. The temptation is great, for if in our opinion a certain view is harmful, we will be tempted to paint the person holding it in a negative light, to prevent others from being drawn to them. There are even justifications for this in the words of our Sages, who instructed to distance oneself from the wicked. However, their words referred to those who were clearly sinning intentionally, and whose main intention was to do evil, or who were bitter enemies of Israel. But when it comes to people whose main intention is not evil, and who are not enemies of Israel, it is imperative not to expand the argument with them beyond what is necessary, and to strive to emphasize the areas of agreement, so that we do not reach baseless hatred, division, and discord.
The Tragedy of Dispute in Israel
The main dispute in Israel today is about the identity of the State of Israel – whether Zionism is the continuation and realization of the vision of redemption, or a certain rebellion against the past, in order to maintain a modern-democratic state. The main expression of this dispute is in our relations with the Arabs. The Right strives for sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, believing that there is no chance the Arab enemy will agree to the existence of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people. Therefore, only by continuing settlement in Judea and Samaria and a resolute struggle against the Arabs, can the Zionist vision be advanced, and security achieved. On the other hand, the Left believes that the Arabs have the right to establish an Arab state in the territories of the Land of Israel, and that an agreement can be reached with the Arabs on the existence of the State of Israel alongside an Arab state, thereby preventing war and bloodshed. For this purpose, it will be necessary to evacuate the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, and in the meantime, not to expand them.
The dispute is tragic, and it is above and beyond a regular dispute about saving lives, since it deals with saving the life of the entire state, and the purpose of the State of Israel, where each side thinks that the other side endangers the existence and purpose of the State of Israel.
The Duty Incumbent upon Us
We must conduct the dispute with the utmost respect, while making an effort not to expand it to areas unrelated to it. On the contrary, to look favorably upon all the good values and deeds in the other camp, and thereby avoid hatred, and maintain the required brotherhood. While it is tempting to paint the other side in negative colors to distance the public from their views and win the argument, besides being false, the moral cost of this sin is unbearable. This is the baseless hatred that destroyed the Temple – baseless hatred, even towards all the good things in the opposing camp.
As Long as there is Peace within Israel
Often, ordinary people are frustrated. They want to moderate the rift, but the leaders sink into personal quarrels, and the media fuels hatred by highlighting extreme positions, and presenting the opponent in a threatening, or ridiculous manner.
However, we should know that as long as the general public treats those with different opinions with respect, and does not sink into disputes and baseless hatred, it has the power to stand together in war, and the people of Israel will continue to progress. The more the public despises those who sow discord, the more public leaders and media figures will improve their ways.
Similarly, we learned from the words of the Gemara (Yoma 9a). After saying that the First Temple was destroyed “only” due to the sin of three transgressions – idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed, and not due to the sin of baseless hatred, they argued: Wasn’t there also baseless hatred in the First Temple period? As Rabbi Elazar said, they would “eat and drink with each other, and stab each other with the swords of their tongues”. They answered that indeed, the leaders of Israel sinned with baseless hatred, but the general public did not sin in this way, and therefore, in the destruction of the First Temple, they were not punished for baseless hatred.
This article appears in the ‘Besheva’ newspaper and was translated from Hebrew.
