It is forbidden to harbor resentment or hold grudges against others.
This mitzvah prohibits holding on to resentment, even if one refrains from outright revenge. Rambam (Hilchot De’ot 7:7) defines this as when one says, “I will help him, though he did not help me.” While not revenge in deed, it maintains inner bitterness. Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 242) emphasizes that Torah teaches us to uproot hatred, forgive, and cleanse the heart, as lasting grudges poison relationships.
The Talmud (Yoma 23a) portrays the righteous as those who allow insults to pass without vengeance or resentment, and Heaven forgives them in kind. Rashi explains that grudge-bearing undermines the mitzvah of loving one’s neighbor. Ramban adds that Torah’s goal is to cultivate inner refinement, not only restrain outer action. Midrash (Sifra Kedoshim §4) says that grudges corrode communities, while forgiveness builds them.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
Contrast with Revenge (Mitzvah 20):
Parallel to Love of Neighbor (Mitzvah 13):
Purifying the Heart
Building Lasting Peace
Freedom from Emotional Burden
Reflecting Divine Compassion
Rising Above Pettiness
Strengthening Community Bonds
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Reflects mitzvot rooted in love—of G‑d, others, and the world we are entrusted to uplift.
Pertains to the power of speech—both positive and negative—including lashon hara, vows, and blessings.
Encompasses mitzvot that govern ethical behavior, kindness, and justice in human relationships.
Mitzvot that define and deepen the relationship between a person and their Creator. These include commandments involving belief, prayer, Shabbat, festivals, sacrifices, and personal holiness — acts rooted in divine connection rather than human interaction.
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