Parshas Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

This week's sidra is again a combined portion (this accommodates the system of leap and simple years on the calendar), Parshas Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, taken from the first verse of each respective parsha. Achrei Mot (literally "after the death") refers to the death of Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu (which we encountered a few weeks ago), who were killed for bringing "foreign" incense onto the alter, while intoxicated from wine, and the portion deals primarily with the instructions for the Yom Kippur service to be carried out in the Temple by the High Priest, Aharon. Kedoshim literally means "sanctified" and refers to the House of Israel, who Hashem tells, "You shall be sanctified, because I the Lord your G-d am sanctified". This portion contains a list of dozens of mitzvahs (commandments) relating to prohibitions against idolatry, charity, Shabbos, sexual morality and more. It also includes one of the most famous commandments in all the Torah, "To love your fellow as yourself". The great sage Rabbi Akiva called this mitzvah a cardinal principle of the Torah, and Rabbi Hillel the Elder said it encompasses the entire Torah and the rest is only explanation. What is very puzzling, however, is that there is also a mitzvah to hate your fellow if you find him sinning. How can these two seemingly conflicting commandments exist side by side? One explanation brings out the specifics of this instruction, which require that he should be your "fellow" in the way of Torah and Mitzvot; in other words, that he lives similarly to you in terms of education and practice. Furthermore, there is another mitzvah in this parsha which commands that if you see your fellow sinning, you will "surely rebuke him". Only once you have rebuked (your fellow) and he still did not return from his wayward path, then you are commanded to hate him. However, if you have not fulfilled the conditions mentioned above, then you can not hate him, and should still perform the separate mitzvah of loving him as yourself. Furthermore, even when the commandment to hate does apply, our commandment here, to love him, continues to apply as well, at the same time! He should hate him for that which he does not do properly, and love him for the spark of G-dliness and goodness which resides in every human being, even though it may be hidden. At this point he can arouse compassion and mercy for this spark of good that has, so to speak, been taken captive by that which opposes it, and this compassion will destroy the hatred and awaken the love; which we learn this from the teachings of kabbala, regarding the three primary emotional traits: kindness, severity and mercy (a combination of the first two, "learning" towards kindness).