> But note that Israel is commanded to care for strangers and
> aliens (e.g.,
> Ex.23:9, Lev.19:33) who, if not "enemies", are not people with the
> immediate potential
> to do the helpers any good. Also - the words "and hate your enemy"
> are NOT a citation
> of torah but (apparently) the interpretation of the Qumran "Manual
> of Discipline" - an
> interpretation which Jesus, of course, is rejected.
I wonder if the strangers and aliens were as neutral as you suggest.
Some, of course, would be the conterpart of Naomi in Moab, a refugee
perhaps not doing much to benefit the community. Still, when the husband
and sons were alive, they probably hauled their weight. But more would be
traders, providing an important service to the sedentary community.
Others would be craftsmen. I doubt that the only ones of the last
category in Israel were those that Solomon employed. In any case, they
would not be injurious, and might provide benefits, so they would at
least somewhat fit into the "neighbors" category of the Jewish
interpretation. As to hating the enemies, since Torah was silent on them,
the addition, whatever its source (I suspect it was much earlier than the
Qumran community), did not contradict any of the explicit commandments. I
don't think there is any basis for reading Jesus' message back into the
Law.
Peace, love and joy,
Dave