אהבי ד' שנאו רע – Ohavei Hashem sinu ra. O’ Lovers of Hashem – despise evil.
One cannot love Hashem while loving evil. To love the Almighty means to despise and eradicate every vestige of evil from oneself – and others. One who loves Hashem cannot tolerate evil in any form. It is no different than one who plants and cultivates a flourishing, lush garden, but cannot tolerate the smallest weed. The weed is a usurper who invades his garden and ultimately destroys his plants. Likewise, one who seeks to instill the love of Hashem within himself, must uproot any evil which will impede the growth of this love. Why should evil be despised? It should be enough just to distance oneself from it. Why hate it? Unless one despises evil, he always has the fear that, over time and under certain circumstances, the distance he has placed between himself and evil will recede. When one despises something, he takes no chances; he does not want to entertain any relationship, however temporary. Thus, in order to love Hashem, one needs a protective barrier against evil. This is when loathing is a positive feeling.
