Now, the word “לַשְנִיאָה-to the one that is hated” is spelled with a י' (after the נ') instead of how it is usually spelled, with a ו' (לַשְנוֹאָה), this is coming to teach us something new, which is also a reference to Mount Sinai, which is spelled similarly to שְנִיאָה with a י'.
The reference to Mount Sinai is to teach us that “שְנִיאָה-hatred” mentioned here, is also referring to the hatred that we feel for unholiness. Our hatred for unholiness will help us reveal the potential love for Hashem contained in the animal soul, due to its source in Tohu.
This connection to Mount Sinai is what our Sages explained, (Shabbos 89b) “Why is the name of the mountain the Torah was given on called סִינַי-Sinai? Because, through the Torah, we acquire the power to have “שְנִיאָה-hatred” for the unholiness associated with the other nations of the world (and our own animal soul, which is similar to the souls of the nations of the world).”
This means that we receive the power to completely despise the bad of our animal soul through revealing the desire and love for Hashem which is beyond all logic and reason when we say Shema. This will help unlock the very deep potential love of Hashem (that is rooted in Tohu) into our animal soul.
Thus, we have another twist on how to interpret the verse: “And it shall be that the first-born son will be born ‘לַשְנִיאָה-to the one that is hated,’” meaning that the love from Tohu, called the ‘first-born son,’ will come to us through “hating” the animal soul’s connection to unholiness.
This ‘hatred’ to unholiness happens automatically by awakening an essential love for Hashem in Shema. Since love and hatred are corresponding opposites, the more one loves his friend, the more he hates anyone who hates his friend. Similarly, the deeper one loves Hashem, the more he hates unholiness, which is opposed to Hashem. Thus, by loving Hashem, we are ‘hating’ unholiness, and this is what unlocks the animal soul’s tremendous potential to love Hashem on the level of Tohu.
