משלי, פרק כ״ה, פסוק כ״א

Human nature often pushes a person to hold a grudge and seek revenge against those who have caused them harm. Yet, true victory and moral growth are found in the exact opposite response. Overcoming a conflict with a rival is not achieved through cruelty, but rather through an act of surprising kindness. A person should provide for the basic needs of someone who hates them, actively choosing not to hold onto anger [מצודת דוד]. The most effective form of revenge is not to withhold sustenance, but to willingly satisfy the enemy's needs [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. By returning good for evil, a person proves their moral strength. This unexpected generosity causes the enemy to feel deep shame and sadness over their own poor behavior when faced with the noble character of the one they wronged. More than just a personal triumph, this act of kindness is a way of imitating God, Who is full of abundant grace and forgives wrongdoing [רלב״ג, עמנואל הרומי].

The specific type of nourishment offered carries its own lesson. If the enemy is someone driven by physical desires, a glutton or a drunkard, they should be given only basic bread rather than rich delicacies, which serves to humble their pride. Likewise, offering them simple water instead of wine helps cool the heat of their unhealthy cravings [אלשיך]. On a more spiritual level, if an enemy is hungry for wisdom, a person should not withhold that knowledge from them [אמרי דעת].

Beyond a physical rival, the enemy can also be understood allegorically as the evil inclination, which acts as the greatest opponent to the human soul and mind [רש״י, עמנואל הרומי, אמרי דעת]. This inner enemy is in a constant state of hunger because its very nature is endless dissatisfaction. The more a person feeds it with worldly desires, the hungrier and thirstier it becomes [עמנואל הרומי, אמרי דעת].

There are two main approaches to fighting this internal battle. The first method is to deny the inclination its unnecessary cravings, providing the physical body with only the bare minimum required for survival, represented by simple bread and water [עמנואל הרומי]. The second approach is a spiritual confrontation. When the inner inclination tempts a person to sin, the response should be to bring it to the study hall and feed it the spiritual nourishment of Torah and wisdom [רש״י, אמרי דעת]. In this way, studying the Torah is not merely a weapon used to defeat the evil inclination. Instead, it acts as a purifying ingredient that sweetens and repairs the inner drive, ultimately transforming it into a force for good [חומת אנך].