When we study the weekly Torah portion – this week it is Vayeshev, chapters 37-40 in B'reshit – we must remember that the reason the Sages instituted the public reading of the Torah is not simply so that we should mechanically hear the words. Even to simply understand them, while important, is not enough; rather, the objective is to learn from them what it is we must change in our lives.  

For instance, it is not enough to be saddened each year at the sale of Joseph by his brothers and to register their sin and punishment. We must rather think deeply as to whether we might also be repeating this same disgraceful sin in our own generation, in our own homeland.  

The renowned 15th-century Torah scholar and Spanish statesman, Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, explained what it was that caused our ancestors to suffer in Egypt for so long. In his commentary to the Passover Haggadah, he wrote that it all happened because of the sale of Joseph by his brothers; he was sold to Egypt, there he ascended to power, and to there his brothers later came to seek food and were not allowed to leave for a while. From this we learn the terrible severity of the sin of sin'at ḥinam, causeless hatred.  

Many events in Jewish history are attributed to the sins and events of the sale of Joseph, based on the axiom that the destruction of the Holy Temple was rooted in sin'at ḥinam (Yoma 9b). For instance, the Temple was built in the portion of the tribe of Binyamin because he was the only one of Joseph's brothers who did not take part in his kidnapping and sale. In addition, Yehuda did not merit to have the Temple built in his inheritance because, though he tried to save Joseph, he did so weakly, and did not succeed. 

But we must understand: Was the brothers' hatred of Joseph truly "causeless?" They actually had a seemingly good reason, which was that he spoke slanderously about them to their father (37,2). And even though he certainly had good intentions - that their father should reprove and educate them - he should have spoken to them first. In addition, lashon hara (slanderous speech) is such a grave sin that it is likened to the three cardinal sins of idol worship, incest, and murder (Tr. Arachin 15b). Were the brothers not justified in their hatred of Joseph? 

To answer this, we must learn an important point made by the Rambam in his commentary on the Mishna (end of Tractate Sanhedrin), where he outlined his famous Thirteen Principles of Faith. The Rambam wrote: "One who believes in these principles is [officially] an Israelite, and we are obligated to love him and have compassion on him and treat him with love and brotherhood – even if he may have committed a sin because of his lusts and the strength of the Evil Inclination upon him… Only one who heretically departs from these principles of faith may and must be hated…" [I found no rishonim, great Torah scholars of the Medieval Period, who differed with the Rambam in this point.]  

Every hatred of a Jew who is not a heretic is forbidden! It is sin'at ḥinam and a sin that has brought upon us the exile to Egypt and the destruction of the Holy Temple. And the Jerusalem Talmud teaches [Yoma 1,1]: "Every generation in which the Holy Temple was not rebuilt, is considered as if it were destroyed in that generation." This means that since G-d certainly wants to rebuild His Temple, He does not because the sin of causeless hatred is still rampant and therefore prevents it. As such, those who act with hatred towards other Jews are responsible for the continued destruction of the Holy Temple! 

Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai (18th century, Jerusalem), known by the acronym Ḥida, wrote as follows:  

"Hatred stems from arrogance. And the Second Temple was destroyed because of it, even though that generation was otherwise great in Torah and mitzvot (Yoma 9b). And we continue to be guilty of this sin. How then can we merit Redemption while the reason for the destruction – sin'at ḥinam – is still rampant among us?" 

We do not need to be reminded of the many examples of this sin in our midst. Many sectors refer to others with derision and call each other names, while public figures verbally attack each other mercilessly.  

The Chafetz Chaim (Orach Chaim 1, Mishna Berurah and Beiur Halakha) wrote that one must not fight with others regarding the observance of Torah commandments – unless his rivals are heretics who are seeking to uproot Torah observance and he has first sought to make peace with them.  

But regarding our approach to Torah-observant Jews who follow their rabbis – if one engages in disseminating hatred against them, his sin is greater than can be borne. [See my work Otzrot HaMussar, p. 981-982.] One who studies the story of the sale of Joseph and is not shocked to trembling from the causeless hatred that caused it, has simply missed the point. And as the Ḥida wrote (cited above), this has great ramifications for our generation as well.  

The author of the Kitzur Shulchan Arukh, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried, wrote that one who has sin'at ḥinam in his heart for a Jew, his prayers are not heard. And the Arizal states that this is true not only on Yom Kippur, but all year long. We thus hear a terrible warning as to why many of our prayers are not answered, whether for communal matters or those of the individual.  

Just like one would never eat meat whose kashrut is doubtful, one must all the more so run away from any doubtful situation regarding hatred for another Jew. The rabbis of every group must teach this educational point over and over, almost more than any other topic. 

In conclusion, let us see the words of Rav Kook that he wrote in the wake of the terrible dispute regarding the sale of land during the Shemittah year: "We must, in this generation, grasp onto the attribute of peace, and increase love and brotherhood in Israel, and increase the honor of Torah scholars." (Igrot HaR'iyah, Vol. I, p. 347).

Translated & abridged  by Hillel Fendel.