As we’ve mentioned in the past, there are certain Mitzvot and Averot that seem to get extra focus. For example, there are people that are very from Torah, but they will not eat Hazir/pork. It’s a negative commandment like any other, but even if they might, heaven forbid, shave with a razor, they will not eat pork. There is no explanation for this mindset. Some people are more careful with Mezuzah, Lulav, Etrog and Tefilin, while not being as careful with dipping their dishes. Although, as it says, we don’t know the value of Mitzvot, for some reason, certain Mitzvot got luckier, so to say.
Rav Yisrael Salantar used to speak about the fact that people find it easy to speak Lashon Hara,but they won’t eat unkosher. These are both sins of the mouth, but that is just the way it is.
The Chafetz Chaim, in his Sefer Ahavat Yisrael (chapter 4)graphically describes how, if we really paid attention, we’d be more careful with Ahavat Yisrael and staying away from Sinat Hinam.
He says that every part of our bodies have a certain function. Our mouths are there to put food into our bodies, our teeth are there to chew, our ears are there to hear, our tongues are there to speak, and our hearts are there to think.
If you saw your friend chewing unkosher food (like a gelatin-based gum) all day, morning to night, after a while, you’d say it is really disgusting. As the pasuk says, “Don’t become contaminated with these things.” This man is actively contaminating himself. You would get upset by it. So too, when a person hates his friend, he has to realize that our hearts were created to think pure and holy thoughts. If a person is thinking negatively about his friend, and has hatred toward his friend, that is also putting a sin into an organ where it is not supposed to be. He says that it is no different than someone chewing unkosher food, or thinking improper thoughts all day. Just like eating unkosher food will contaminate your mouth, hating your fellow man will contaminate your heart. If a person thinks about that, he’ll realize how serious Sinat Hinam is.
These are the words of the Chafetz Chaim.
Have a wonderful day.