Parshas Kedoshim

“Do not hate your brother in your heart!” (Vayikra 19:16)

It is a negative commandment that one must not have hatred in one’s heart for any other member of Klal Yisrael, as it says “Do not hate your brother in your heart!”. Chazal tell us that this prohibition can only be transgressed with hatred which is kept in the heart, but if one shows the other person that one hates him and the other person knows that he is hated, one has not transgressed this prohibition. He has, however, transgressed the prohibitions of taking revenge and bearing a grudge, as well as the positive commandment to love one’s friend as one loves oneself. Even taking all of this into account, the Torah says that hatred kept in the heart is a stronger hatred than open hatred and the Torah therefore forbade us to do it with an extra commandment.

The root of this commandment is well known, for hatred in the heart causes many great evils between people and causes people to be always using a sword against their brother and friend. It is a cause for all the informing which is performed between people, and in the eyes of any sensible person is the lowest and most disgusting character trait that a person can have.

This commandment applies in all places and at all times, to men and women. One who hates another member of Klal Yisrael with his heart, has transgresses this prohibition.