יד יוסף: Love of Israel - by the Chofetz Chaim

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Love of Israel - by the Chofetz Chaim

בס"ד

My good friend Shlomo Epshteyn accomplished the scholarly feat of translating the discourse, “Ahavas Yisrael”, by the Chofetz Chaim into English. The Chofetz Chaim was the first book written by Rabbi Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen Kagan(1838 - 1933). The title, חָפֵץ חַיִּים "Desires Life", is a phrase from Psalm 34:13. It was an extremely popular book, so much so that the author became known by its title. The Chofetz Chaim was a famous rabbi known for his scholarship and saintliness. His commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch, collectively called the Mishna Brura (מִשנַה ברוּרַה - Clarified Teachings) are considered the authoritative work on Jewish law today.

“Ahavas Yisrael” literally means love of Israel (אהבת ישראל). The theme of the book, though, is a condemnation of the opposite, namely baseless hatred. In the yeshiva world the term is typically used in the original Hebrew, שִׂנאָת חִינָם. It’s considered a serious failing in character that is unfortunately widespread. The Chofetz Chaim cites its prohibition as one of the 613 Biblical commandments and brings the Gemara that it was the ultimate cause of the destruction of the second Temple. He continues that it contaminates the heart, leads to gossip and slander, and is the basis for murder. He reckons its prime cause is jealousy. To uproot it from the heart, he advises habitually judging others favorably and to stimulate love through acts of kindness and charity as well as by generally respecting others.

As a social criticism the problem is real. It seems to me that a person needs to become wise in identifying hatred even in its subtle forms particularly in oneself. Likewise it’s necessary to become skillful in identifying the emotion of love. Once that is done a person should evaluate whether these emotions were appropriate and to what degree. In the final analysis the situation of default should be love of Israel. Hatred, by and large, should be used in specific situations and even then should not be deep or common.