I am of the opinion that causing harm to others for one's own real or imagined benefit is evil.
Two examples happening right now:
1] A very prominent Rav called the father of a fallen soldier an Apikorus b/c he doesn't believe in the power of Torah [echoing the Gemara - היכי דמי אפיקורוס? האומר מאי אהנו לן רבנן]. This man has spent a tremendous amount of energy trying to convince all the Charedim to enlist in the army. The press has given this verbal attack wide coverage. Why? So a rabbi called someone an Apikorus. Not the first time. Big deal. We don't lack for Apikorsim [or people we perceive as such. I am not judging him either way]. Answer: It gets clicks. The nice stuff doesn't get clicks. Clicks means money. So for money, [religious] websites are spreading hatred on both sides. That is all the publication of such statements does. It fuels the fire of hatred and creates divisiveness.
2] Curtis Sliwa. It is clear to everyone that he will finish a solid third in the NYC mayoral race. But for the slight slight slight chance he will win [only slightly better than my chance of being hired to dance in the NYC ballet] he is staying in the race, even though this means a certain win for Sinwar-Mamdani, Communist Jihadist that he is. If the man with the red beret would just appreciate that there is something bigger at stake here than his ego it would help us all and give Cuomo a chance. With all of his faults [e.g. predator and abuser of innocent women, nursing home scandal and worst of all - Chris Cuomo's brother] - ANYBODY is a better choice than Sinwar-Mamdani. Curtis - I KNOW you are reading this. Drop out. Go back to patrolling the subways to protect New Yorkers and give Cuomo a chance.
