Rabbi Beth says that enemies are spiritual opportunities for growth. In the case of an enemy, who is unkind or mean, rather than one who physically tries to harm us, we need to shift our perspective. If we meet hate with hate, react with anger, call for punishment, it will return to us. Avoid a reactive tongue; avoid a war of self-justification and avoid seeking revenge. Protect yourself and fight, only if necessary to avoid the enemy accruing a hefty spiritual debt. We are to help our enemies when they need it, to help us become better people. (Exodus 23:5, Bava Metza 32b, You Are What You Hate: A Spiritually Productive Approach to Enemies by Sarah Yehudit Schneider) Generally, a spiritual path is about ego-transcendence. Thus, our goal would be to try to understand how enemies see the world and why they view it and us the way they do. Each step dissolves another layer. Humility is a sign we successfully passed the test.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 23:38:51 +0000
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