The Torah in Parashat Mishpatim (Shemot 23:5) addresses the situation of a person who sees his enemy’s donkey struggling under a heavy load, and it commands the person to assist his enemy in unloading the cargo despite his hostile feelings towards him. The Gemara addresses the question of how it is possible that somebody despises a fellow Jew, given the prohibition of “Lo Tisna Et Ahicha” (Vayikra 19:17), which forbids hating one’s fellow. The answer, the Gemara explains, is that the Torah speaks of a case where the person had previously seen the animal’s owner prepare to commit a sin, and even after he warned him to desist, he persisted in his wrongdoing. It is permissible to despise such a person, and thus the Torah speaks here of a situation where this person’s donkey was seen struggling under a heavy load, and it requires helping the person even though one legitimately dislikes him. The Sefer Ha’hinuch clarifies that this Misva applies even if it is a different animal which struggles under a heavy load; this law is not limited to donkeys. As for the reason behind this command, the Sefer Ha’hinuch writes that the Torah wants us to train ourselves to act compassionately, and so we are to assist those who need our help – even somebody whom we have a right to dislike. The Sefer Ha’hinuch adds that if the Torah requires us to help ease the burden of an animal who bears too heavy a load, then certainly we must come to help a person – even somebody whom we dislike – who is struggling to carry a heavy load and needs assistance. The Gemara addresses the situation of a person who sees his friend needing help unloading his donkey, and at the same time sees his enemy needing help to load his donkey. Normally, when a person must choose between helping somebody load his animal and helping somebody unload, precedence is given to the one who needs help unloading, because the animal is in distress. In this instance, however, the Gemara rules that one should help the person he dislikes load his animal, in order to “subdue his evil inclination” – meaning, to overcome his feelings of hostility towards that person. This concern, to overcome the negative feelings, overrides the consideration of lightening the load on the back of his friend’s donkey. The Rishonim debate the question of what kind of enemy the Gemara refers to in this discussion. The Sefer Ha’hinuch understood that the Gemara must be speaking of an ordinary enemy, somebody whom the person simply dislikes, in violation of the prohibition of “Lo Tisna.” After all, if the Gemara says that the person must “subdue his evil inclination” and overcome his hostile feelings toward that individual, then these feelings must be illegitimate. Necessarily, then, we are dealing with an “enemy” whom he is not permitted to despise. Tosafot, however, in Masechet Baba Mesia (32), explain differently. They claim that the Gemara speaks of an “enemy” whom one is allowed to dislike, but even so, it is important for the person to “subdue his inclination.” Although he is allowed to dislike this sinner because of his improper conduct, nevertheless, if he acts with hostility toward the sinner, then the sinner will despise him in return, and this will have the effect of intensifying the person’s hatred for the sinner. King Shlomo teaches in Mishleh (27:19), “Ka’mayim Ha’panim La’panim, Ken Leb Ha’adam La’adam,” which our Sages understood to mean that just as water reflects a person’s image back to him, a person’s heart reflects to his fellow the feelings felt by his fellow towards him. The way we feel towards others affects the way they feel towards us. And thus, if a person hates somebody who he is, in principle, allowed to hate, this will invite that person’s hatred, which will in turn intensify the original feelings of hate – and those additional feelings are not allowed. Although the Torah permits hating a sinner in certain circumstances, one is not allowed to hate the sinner even more because of the sinn