In the previous chapter, the Rebbe Rashab explained how yeshus can lead to division, friction, and strife. In this chapter, he develops that theme, outlining the extent to which such negative feelings can spiral.
וְהִנֵּה זֶהוּ גַם כֵּן הַסִּבָּה מַה שֶּׁנִּצְמָח שִׂנְאָה בֵּין אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ בְּלִי שׁוּם טַעַם וָדַעַת
This yeshus is also the cause of the hatred which springs up between one man and his fellow for no reason at all,
רַק שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לִסְבּוֹל אֶת רֵעֵהוּ
merely because one cannot tolerate another person
וּמַבִּיט עָלָיו רַק בְּעַיִן רָעָה
and only views him negatively,
עַד שֶׁנִּמְאָס וְנִבְזֶה בְּעֵינָיו גַּם כָּל הַטּוֹב שֶׁבּוֹ,
despising and denigrating even the good that the other possesses.1
שֶׁמְּבַטֵּל וּמְבַזֶּה אֶת עֲבוֹדָתוֹ שֶׁל רֵעֵהוּ וְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת שֶׁלּוֹ כוּ'.
He will negate and denigrate that person’s Divine service and fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvos
וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה לוֹ שׁוּם רָעָה מֵעוֹלָם
although that person has never caused him any harm.
וְגַם הוּא אֵינוֹ חוֹרֵשׁ עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ רָעָה בְּפֹעַל מַמָּשׁ
It is not that he actually plans to harm the other person;
רַק שֶׁלְּבָבוֹ אֵינוֹ שָׁלֵם עִמּוֹ בְּלֹא טַעַם וָדַעַת כוּ'.
it is only that his heart is not at ease with the other person for no reason whatsoever.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב אָמְרוּ אֲחֵיכֶם שׂוֹנְאֵיכֶם כוּ',
This is alluded to in the phrase,2 “Your brothers, those who hate you, have said…,”
שֶׁאֲחֵיכֶם הֵמָּה שׂוֹנְאֵיכֶם.
one’s own brothers become his enemies.
To explain the above phrase:
דְּאָח הוּא לְשׁוֹן חִבּוּר,
The Hebrew word for brother (אָח) also has the connotation “join.” Thus, the phrase is referring to people who,
וְהַיְנוּ גַּם כְּשֶׁאֵין דָּבָר הַמַּפְרִיד בֵּינֵיהֶם כְּלָל,
even though they do not have anything at all separating one from the other —
וְלָכֵן נִקְרָאִים אַחִים לְשׁוֹן אִחוּת וְחִבּוּר,
and therefore are called “brothers,” implying that they are bonded and connected —
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם שׂוֹנְאִים בְּלִי שׁוּם טַעַם וָדַעַת
still hate each other without reason,
רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְסָבְלוֹ כוּ'.
merely because they cannot tolerate each other.3
וּמִמֵּילָא אֵינוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בְּשַׁלְוָתוֹ וּבְטוֹבָתוֹ,
As a matter of course, such a person does not rejoice when his fellow prospers and benefits.
וּלְהֵפֶךְ יִשְׂמַח בִּלְבָבוֹ בְּיִסּוּרָיו חַס וְשָׁלוֹם רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן,
Conversely, he secretly rejoices at the other’s suffering, Heaven forbid,
וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים לֹא יִצְטַעֵר עַל זֶה.
or, at the very least, is not troubled by it.
אֲשֶׁר בֶּאֱמֶת צְרִיכִים לְהִצְטַעֵר עַל יִסּוּרֵי זוּלָתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִיִּסּוּרֵי עַצְמוֹ רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן.
In truth, one should feel more anguish at someone else’s suffering than at one’s own, Heavenforbid.
כִּי עַל עַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְצוֹא חֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁמַּגִּיעִים לוֹ הַיִּסּוּרִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מִפְּנֵי מַעֲשָׂיו הַלֹּא טוֹבִים,
In one’s own case, one can always undertake a process of introspection and by searching his soul find a legitimate explanation why, G‑d forbid, he deserves suffering because of his misdeeds.
וּכְמַאֲמַר רַזַ"ל אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּסּוּרִים בָּאִים עָלָיו יְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו כוּ'.
As our Sages declared,4 ”If one sees that suffering is coming upon him, he should examine his deeds.”
וּכְשֶׁיְּפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת וַדַּאי יִמְצָא
If one honestly searches, he will surely find a reason for his misfortune.
אוֹ יִתְלֶה בַּעֲוֹן בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה כוּ',
And if no reason can be found, he can, as our Sages explain,4 attribute the misfortune to his neglect of Torah study.5
וּמִמֵּילָא לֹא יִצְטַעֵר עֲלֵיהֶם,
Consequently, since he realizes the cause, he will not feel anguish for the misfortune he suffers.
אַדְּרַבָּה יְקַבְּלֵם בְּאַהֲבָה שֶׁזֶּה תִּקּוּן לְנַפְשׁוֹ כוּ'.
Quite the contrary, since this suffering rectifies his soul, he will accept it with love.
אֲבָל עַל זוּלָתוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת כָּאֵלּוּ
However, such calculations cannot be made concerning another’s suffering. In no way should one assume that the other person has sinned.
כִּי צָרִיךְ לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הוּא טוֹב בְּכָל פְּרָט,
Instead, one must assume that certainly the other person is good in every respect.
וְלֹא יָדוּן מֵעַצְמוֹ עַל זוּלָתוֹ
One should not view others in terms of one’s own experience,
כִּי בְּוַדַּאי הוּא יוֹתֵר טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ וְצָרִיךְ לָדוּן אֶת כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת כוּ'.
for one must judge every man favorably6 and believe that one’s fellow is surely better than oneself.
וּמִמֵּילָא צָרִיךְ לְהִצְטַעֵר מְאֹד עַל צָרַת חֲבֵרוֹ וְיִסּוּרָיו רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן
Hence, one ought to be deeply distressed by the suffering of his fellow,
וִיבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עָלָיו כוּ'.
and entreat G‑d to show him mercy.
(וְאִם יוֹדֵעַ בֶּאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא טוֹב הוּא
(If one knows for a fact that his fellow has failings,7
יְגַלֶּה לְמוּסָר אָזְנוֹ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ
he should tell him so in private
וְיוֹכִיחוֹ עַל מַעֲשָׂיו הַלֹּא טוֹבִים
and admonish him for his misdeeds.
שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה יָשׁוּב אֶל הוי' וִירַחֲמֵהוּ וְשָׁב חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ כוּ'.)
Through this, one “will return to G‑d and He will have compassion upon him,”8 and turn His anger away from him.)9
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ מִצְטַעֵר
However, when one does not commiserate,
וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ עַל זֶה
and even more so if he feels gratified because of another’s suffering,
הֲרֵי זֶה מִצַּד שִׂנְאָתוֹ אֵלָיו
his feelings are motivated by hatred to that person;
שֶׁשּׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ חִנָּם עַל לֹא דָבָר כוּ'.
he hates him for no reason at all.
קִצּוּר.
Summary:
שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם מֵבִיא שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּתֵּף בְּשִׂמְחַת חֲבֵרוֹ וּבְצַעֲרוֹ.
This chapter elaborates on the negative dimensions of baseless hatred. On a very elemental level, it prevents one from partaking of the joy or sorrow one’s fellow feels. Moreover it creates strife and friction.
לְיִסּוּרֵי עַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְצוֹא טַעַם
This attitude takes a person away from the mindset that holiness would spawn. In truth, an explanation can be found for one’s own suffering,
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן לְשֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ
but not for one’s fellow’s suffering,
שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְדוּנוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת.
since we must judge others favorably.
