LEV568 The renowned R. Meir had … trouble [with] bandits, outlaws, highwaymen in his neighborhood, and they distressed him greatly. He… reached a point at which he could bear them no more; and he cursed them and prayed for their death. Said his wife B'ruryah, noted in her own right for her piety and learning, "What gives you this idea? -- because it is written, 'Let sinners cease from the earth'? (Psalms 104:35). Is the word then hot'im, sinners? hata'im is written -- sins. Furthermore, go see the rest of the verse: 'and the wicked will no longer be.' Once sins are ended, there are no longer any wicked people. Then you should rather pray for them that they should repent." He besought mercy for them, and they did renounce their wickedness. (T.B. Berakoth 10a, readings in Dikduke Sof'rim). In point of fact, our Written Torah will not grant us the luxury of having personal enemies, people to dislike through mere whim or pique, or for the sake of having some handy targets for hate. "You shall not hate your brother in your heart" [this verse]. The only thing that merits our hate is sinfulness, wickedness that no longer entitles a man to be considered your brother. When someone makes wickedness and evil a permanent part of his character, regard him as an enemy. But then, notes the commentary Ruah Hayyim, we surely have no reason to be happy when such an "enemy" falls. For it may well be our fault that he has remained wicked and this brought about his fall. Why did we make no effort to rehabilitate him, to improve him and bring him to repentance?