DEUTERONOMY | 21:23 overnight — DEUT1080 It appears that one may indeed hate thos...
DEUT1080 It appears that one may indeed hate those people try to destroy the Jews, for example, Haman, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, and so forth. But how can his hatred be permitted when the verse in Proverbs (11:10) and later the Mishnah say "One may not rejoice when your enemy falls"? At the time one's enemies fall, one may not rejoice. But afterward (and before), one may indeed hate them and what they stood for. Why should we not be happy at the time of their death? As with the angels who were instructed by God not to rejoice when the enemy of the Jews, the Egyptians, drowned in the sea, these enemies are still human beings created in God's image. For that part of them that is destroyed, one cannot rejoice when they die. Afterward, one certainly can be happy that these people are no longer around to destroy the Jewish people. This concept is reflected in the killer or sinner who is to be hanged by a Jewish court. Although this person was evil, Judaism does not permit the community to let the body publicly hang more than a few hours (Sanhedrin 46b) based on [this] reverse in Torah. Here, too, says the Talmud, this evil person is still created in the image of God and is the reflection of that image. Thus, at the time of death, one cannot rejoice afterwards. However, one certainly can be happy that an evil person and the evil he or she caused is eradicated from the world. It is only the shame reflected upon God at the time of death when hatred is forbidden. After all, the Jewish community does celebrate the downfall of Haman and the defeat of the Egyptians. Part of Purim and Passover certainly is being happy that the enemy is defeated. Hating an enemy, especially during time of war, is part of warfare. When Ecclesiastes says "a time to hate" [Ecclesiastes 3:8), the Midrash (Kohelet Rabbah 3:10) clearly explains this refers to an enemy during time of war.
Source Key | AMEMEI |
Verse | 21:23 |
Keyword(s) | overnight |
Source Page(s) | 92 |