Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah

Or HaChaim on Exodus 23:22/אור החיים על שמות כ״ג:כ״ב

אוְאָיַבְתִּי וְגוֹ׳. אוּלַי שֶׁיִּרְמֹז כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה, הִנֵּה הָאָדוֹן יַעֲקֹר שֹׁרֶשׁ הַקְּלִפָּה וַעֲנָפֶיהָ, שֶׁהֵם הַמְּסִיתִים וְהַמַּדִּיחִים וְהַמְּבַקְשִׁים לְהַשְׁפִּיל דֶּגֶל הַתּוֹרָה. וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּמַעֲשֵׂה קַיִן בְּהִתְוַכְּחוּת הָאָדוֹן עִמּוֹ (בראשית ד:ט-טו).
1 ואיבתי את אויביך, "For I will be an enemy unto your enemies, etc." Perhaps the Torah hints here that by means of busying oneself with Torah and the performance of its commandments G'd will uproot the source of the קליפה, i.e. Satan, as well as the various branches which are constantly active trying to seduce people and thereby to degrade and dishonour the banner of Torah. You are advised to read what I have written in connection with the confrontation between Cain and G'd in Genesis 4,9-15.