Fulfilling that which we have spoken of above -- to view one's body with
scorn and contempt, and finding joy only in the joy of the soul alone -- is a
direct and easy way to attain the fulfillment of the commandment "Love your
fellow as yourself" toward every soul of Israel, both great and small.
For, whereas one despises and loathes one's body, while as for the soul and
spirit, who can know their greatness and excellence in their root and source in
the living G-d? Being, moreover, all of a kind and all having one Father --
therefore, all Israelites are called real brothers by virtue of the source of
their souls in the One G-d; only the bodies are separated. Hence in the case of
those who give major consideration to their bodies while regarding their souls
as of secondary importance, there can be no true love and brotherhood among
them, but only [a love] which is dependent on a [transitory] thing.
This is what Hillel the Elder meant when he said in regard to the fulfillment
of this commandment, "This is the whole Torah; the rest is but
commentary... " For the basis and root of the entire Torah is to raise and
exalt the soul high above the body, reaching unto the Source and Root of all the
worlds, and also to bring down the blessed light of the Infinite upon the
community of Israel, as will be explained later, i.e. into the fountain-head of
the souls of all Israel, to become "One into One." This is impossible
if there is, G-d forbid, disunity among the souls, for the Holy One, blessed be
He, does not dwell in an imperfect place, as we pray: "Bless us, O our
Father, all of us together, with the light of Your countenance," as has
been explained at great length elsewhere.
As for the Talmudic statements to the effect that one who sees his friend
sinning should hate him and should tell his teacher to hate him also, this
applies to a companion in Torah and mitzvot, having already applied to him the
injunction, "You shall repeatedly rebuke your friend (amitecha)"
meaning "one who is your equal in Torah and mitzvot," and who,
nevertheless, has not repented of his sin as stated in Sefer Charedim.
But as for the person who is not one's colleague and is not on intimate terms
with him, Hillel the Elder said, "Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving
peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and drawing them near to the
Torah." This means that even in the case of those who are removed from G-d's
Torah and His service, and are therefore classified simply as
"creatures," one must draw them near with strong cords of love,
perchance one might succeed in bringing them closer to the Torah and Divine
service. Even if one fails, one has not forfeited the merit of the mitzvah of
loving one's fellow.
Even with regard to those who are close to him, and whom he has rebuked, yet
they had not repented of their sins, in which case he is enjoined to hate them,
there still remains the duty to love them also, and both are right: hatred,
because of the wickedness in them; and love on account of the aspect of the
hidden good in them, which is the Divine spark in them, which animates their
Divine soul. He should also awaken pity in his heart for her [the Divine soul],
for she is held captive, as it were, in the evil of the sitra achra that
triumphs over her in wicked people. Compassion destroys hatred and awakens love,
as is known from the [interpretation of the] text, "To Jacob who redeemed
Abraham."
(As that which King David, peace unto him, said, "I hate them with a
consummate hatred," he was referring to heretics and atheists who have no
portion in the G-d of Israel, as stated in the Talmud, Tractate Shabbat,
beginning of chapter 16).
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