5tjt
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
It is a verse in the 24th chapter of Mishlei. In the falling (death) of your enemy – do not rejoice. And the concept discussed in the verse is being examined throughout the world – from the Huffington Post to internal presidential cabinet discussions.
AP News reports, for example, that a certain Hyojin Jenny Hwang wrote on Facebook that she was saddened by the sight of young Americans like herself jubilantly cheering Osama bin Laden’s death, the angry response was swift, even from friends.
“One friend told me she felt judged for feeling happy,” said the 30-year-old mother from New Jersey. “And another one simply unfriended me on Facebook.”
From a Torah perspective the question arises: Osama Bin Ladin, the murderer of 3000 Americans, is dead. How exuberant should we be?
We must also keep in mind another seemingly contradictory earlier verse then the one mentioned in Chapter 24 of Mishlei. It was also written by Shlomo HaMelech – “In the death of evil-doers – exhuberance! (Mishlei 11:10). How are these two verses to be understood together? [...]
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
It is a verse in the 24th chapter of Mishlei. In the falling (death) of your enemy – do not rejoice. And the concept discussed in the verse is being examined throughout the world – from the Huffington Post to internal presidential cabinet discussions.
AP News reports, for example, that a certain Hyojin Jenny Hwang wrote on Facebook that she was saddened by the sight of young Americans like herself jubilantly cheering Osama bin Laden’s death, the angry response was swift, even from friends.
“One friend told me she felt judged for feeling happy,” said the 30-year-old mother from New Jersey. “And another one simply unfriended me on Facebook.”
From a Torah perspective the question arises: Osama Bin Ladin, the murderer of 3000 Americans, is dead. How exuberant should we be?
We must also keep in mind another seemingly contradictory earlier verse then the one mentioned in Chapter 24 of Mishlei. It was also written by Shlomo HaMelech – “In the death of evil-doers – exhuberance! (Mishlei 11:10). How are these two verses to be understood together? [...]
There are a number of critical sources which address this issue - please see:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.divreinavon.com/shiurim/RejoiceWickedFall.pdf
From a review of these sources it seems to me that one should be happy that evil was removed from the world, nevertheless recognizing that God is not happy that one of his creations failed so miserably that he had to be removed. Perhaps, it is only the righteous who can keep this distinction clear and so for the rest of us, one is warned not to jubilantly rejoice, lest this turn God's wrath towards him, lo aleinu.