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Why does the Gemara (גמרא) praise kinas sofrim when jealousy is destructive? The shiur distinguishes between unhealthy jealousy that covets others' possessions and healthy jealousy that protects what's uniquely one's own. True kinas sofrim means zealously developing your individual talents and approach to learning, not competing with others' achievements.
This shiur addresses a fundamental paradox in Jewish thought regarding the trait of jealousy (kina). The speaker begins by noting the apparent contradiction: the Mishna states that jealousy "takes a person out of the world" and is completely destructive, yet the Torah (תורה) describes Hashem (ה׳) as having the attribute of kina, husbands are commanded to be jealous, and the Gemara (גמרא) in Bava Basra states that "kinas sofrim tarbeh chochmah" (the jealousy of scholars increases wisdom). The resolution lies in understanding two distinct types of jealousy. Destructive jealousy occurs when one desires what belongs to another - coveting someone else's wife, property, or abilities. This type of jealousy is indeed devastating and "eats a person alive," as it creates an obsession with the unattainable and makes one feel like they have nothing.
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Bava Basra (kinas sofrim tarbeh chochmah)
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