An additional question regarding these prohibitions relates to the scope of the prohibitions and the realms in which they apply. Thus far we have seen that taking revenge and bearing a grudge are negative phenomena which must be avoided at all costs and in every situation. The Gemara in Yoma 22b implies otherwise:
Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon: Any Torah scholar who does not avenge himself and bear a grudge like a serpent, is no [real] scholar. But surely it is written: "You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge"! That refers to monetary affairs, as it has been taught… But does not [this prohibition apply also to] personal affliction? Has it not been taught: Concerning those who are insulted but do not insult others [in revenge], who hear themselves reproached without replying, who [perform good] work out of love of the Lord and rejoice in their sufferings, Scripture says: "But they that love him be as the sun when it goes forth in its might" (Shoftim 5:31). That means, that he keeps it in his heart [without taking action].
This is problematic. It's a "Yeah, the Torah straight out says..." but I've found an exception as to why it doesn't apply to me.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of an old joke a Rav once told me - why is there so much theft in the Chareidi community? If it said "Thou shalt not steal" somewhere in one of the commentaries in the back of the Shulchan Aruch, everyone would know about it and compete to see who could fulfill it most stringently. But because it says it straight out in the Torah, well there's exceptions, context, sometimes it's okay...