New on the site: Michi-bot. An intelligent assistant based on the writings of Rabbi Michael Avraham.

Love and hate

שו”תCategory: moralLove and hate
asked 7 years ago

Hello Rabbi,
Let’s say a man’s son commits wicked acts. Is it appropriate for the father to hate his son because of this? Or should he hate only the son’s actions, and not the son himself? On the one hand, I think it is appropriate for the father to love his son because he is his son, regardless of his actions. On the other hand, it is appropriate to hate the wicked. Or perhaps it could be said that it is possible to hate and love at the same time and there is not necessarily a contradiction between the two feelings?
A family whose son has consciously rebelled against his father or committed a heinous act such as murder or rape. Should they cut off contact with him, or should they bring him closer to them in order to restore him to a better life?
Best regards,


Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I wrote about this in my article on emotions. In my opinion, the interpretation of the words of Chazal (Let the wicked and not the sinners be destroyed) as if hatred is for wickedness and not for evil is baseless. Hatred is always for a person and not for a trait. I hate the evil person because of his wickedness. On the other hand, because there is a reason for hatred, a situation of love-hate for that person is possible: I love him because he is my son and hate him because he is wicked. And beyond that, I am also obligated to him, both because he is my son and like every person from Israel, and therefore I must reprove him. See here:
משמעות אפלטונית לרגשות בהלכה
By the way, in my book on the Platonism of the Talmud (in the Talmudic Logic series) I analyze this on a logical-philosophical level.

Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

Back to top button