אהבי ד' שנאו רע – Ohavei Hashem sinu ra. O’ lovers of Hashem – despise evil!
In his Madreigas Ha’Adam, the Alter, zl, m’Novoradok, explains that we can relate to evil in one of two ways. The first recognizes that one has no craving for that which is evil; the second are situations in which we crave that which is evil. An example of the former is how we deal with drugs. We are well-aware of the mind-expanding properties of drugs and their ability to induce pleasure. Nonetheless, the pleasure does not override the inherent danger. Thus, due to the danger, we have no desire. This is an evil for which we have no craving. The other evil is the evil that is the result of negative/flawed character traits, such as the pursuit of honor and the overwhelming desire to increase one’s wealth. We are aware that these evils can drive us out of the world, but they do not prevent us from falling into their trap. The danger inherent in falling prey to deficient character traits remains theoretical.
One who seeks to love Hashem must distance himself/despise both forms of evil. It is easy to distance oneself from an evil whose potential for harm is real. It is critical to distance oneself from theoretical evil as well.
These forms of evil exist in the society around us. Some people are undeniably vicious, cruel, sinners, and they are easy to despise. What about the chameleons whose kindnesses are superficial and conceal an evil heart, people who will do anything for money or honor? They, too, are evil and fall under the rubric of despicable.
