[Avodah] What is SinAs Chinam

Rabbi Meir G. Rabi meirabi at gmail.com
Thu Jul 19 17:46:28 PDT 2018


SinAs ChiNom is often translated as - gratuitous hatred, means hatred
without good reason; uncalled for.
We often use the imagery of Kamtza and his mate Bar K to create and shape
the definition of SinAs ChiNom

I wonder however, if it does not embrace something more subtle.
When in one's car, warm and dry, on a rainy windy day, and in a hurry, it
is too easy to overlook the discomfort of pedestrians.
Why do we tend to inconvenience pedestrians, acting in ways we would never
dream of, if we knew it was someone we love or even just know peripherally,
or our beloved Rosh Yeshivah for example?

This is not hatred, it is dismissive. We've programmed ourselves to not see
the humanity, the Tzelem Elokim of others who are outside our orbit.

The well known RaMBaM (I believe not generally known to be from the RaMBaM
and more so from his Moreh) that one does not act with the same attitude
when in the presence of the king, or in this case there rush Yeshuvah.

I would translate SinAs ChiNom as trampling upon others, not out of hatred
but them just not being relevant.
For example, not putting one's Sefarim away, slopping one's drink on the
table or floor - it wont happen at home but seems to be standard in the
Beis HaMedrash, as is using one's foot to push open a door.

Perhaps the episode with Kam and BarKamtza is not so extreme to illustrate
the example and the intensity of the hatred, as SinChin is with far less,
rather that terrible horrible unforgiveable event is there to emphasise
that even so the Rabbis remained silent.
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