Against Hate...Thoughts to Ponder from Parshat Ki Teitze

Against Hate

Source Sheet by Nancy Coren

Deuteronomy 23:8 (8) You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your kinsman. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land.

דברים כ״ג:ח׳ (ח) לֹֽא־תְתַעֵ֣ב אֲדֹמִ֔י כִּ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ ה֑וּא (ס) לֹא־תְתַעֵ֣ב מִצְרִ֔י כִּי־גֵ֖ר הָיִ֥יתָ בְאַרְצֽוֹ׃

Edom was the other name for Esau.   Esau hated Jacob.  Does it follow, therefore, that Jacob should hate Esau?  Why or why not?  How does the story of Jacob and Esau end?

Questions:

1.  Isn't it a natural reaction to hate someone who has enslaved you and in essence tried to plan a program of genocide against you?  Why should we not hate the Egyptians? What possible reasons make sense to you about why we should not hate the Egyptians.

2.  How did the Israelites end up in Egypt in the first place?  How were they treated when Joseph was alive?

3.  Does it matter that Pharoah's daughter saved Moshe who was floating in a basket down the Nile? Why or why not?

לא תתעב אדמי THOU SHALT NOT ABHOR AN EDOMITE utterly, although it would be proper for you to abhor him because he came out against thee with the sword (Numbers 20:18—20). לא תתעב מצרי. מִכֹּל וָכֹל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזָּרְקוּ זְכוּרֵיכֶם לַיְאוֹר. מַה טַּעַם? שֶׁהָיוּ לָכֶם אַכְסַנְיָא בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק. לְפִיכָךְ — לא תתעב מצרי THOU SHALT NOT ABHOR AN EGYPTIAN all in all (utterly), although they cast your male children into the river. And what is the reason that you should not abhor him utterly? Because they were your hosts in time of need (during Joseph’s reign when the neighbouring countries suffered from famine); therefore although they sinned against you do not utterly abhor him, but — English עברית

If the people continued to hate their erstwhile oppressors, Moses would have taken the Israelites out of Egypt but would have failed to take Egypt out of the Israelites. They would still be slaves, not physically but psychologically. They would be slaves to the past, held captive by the chains of resentment, unable to build the future. To be free, you have to let go of hate. That is a difficult truth but a necessary one.  

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

What is your reaction to this statement by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks?

Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Nancy Coren