אהבי ד' שנאו רע – Ohavai Hashem sinu ra. O’ lovers of Hashem, despise evil.
Understandably, good and bad do not work well together. To achieve total good, it is necessary to eradicate every vestige from evil. Thus, one who seeks to implant love for Hashem in his heart will have to rid himself of his character failings and spiritual shortcomings. One who wants to paint a wall must first scrape off the old peeling paint and sand the rough spots and rust that have accumulated over time. Otherwise, the unwanted residue from earlier years will work its way through the new paint. We often find people with good and noble intentions who want to change their lives for the better – more Torah study, better davening, more mitzvos. They forget that this desire to upgrade oneself spiritually must be accompanied by a “housecleaning.” Otherwise, the bad will ultimately prevail over the good.
Ibn Ezra notes that some fear the physical and material might of the wicked. As a result, they do not have the fortitude to go up against them. As a result, they continue with their love of Hashem, but do not eschew the wicked. Men of evil give the impression that Hashem approves of them; otherwise, why would they succeed? Ultimately, when the gods and idols will be toppled, so will the evil doers. The hold they have on the weak will be terminated. Why wait? Let the good take a stand for what is right.
