[Avodah] Revenge and Punishment

[Daniel Eidensohn]

*Yoma^] (23a): *Any scholar who does not avenge himself and bear grudge 
like a snake is not a real talmid chachom. But doesn't the Torah 
(Vayikra 19:18) prohibit bearing grudges or taking revenge? The answer 
is that the Torah prohibition only applies to monetary matters. Support 
for this in found in the following teaching. Prohibited revenge occurs 
when a person asked to borrow tools from a neighbor and was refused. If 
the neighbor then asks to borrow tools from him on another occasion and 
he refuses because he had been refused by the neighbor---that is 
revenge. Prohibited bearing of grudge occurs when a person asked to 
borrow tools from a neighbor and was refused. If the neighbor then asks 
to borrow tools from him on another occasion and he responds: "I will 
lend it to you because I am not like you"---that is bearing a grudge. 
But doesn't the prohibition also apply in cases of personal insult as it 
was taught: Those who have been insulted and yet do not insult in 
revenge....they that love Him shall be as the sun in its might? That 
refers to a person who was insulted and yet does not respond---even 
though he still bears grudge. However Rava stated that whoever forgives 
those who insult him has all his sins forgiven? Rava is referring only 
to the case where the one who insulted him has asked for and received 
forgiveness for the insult. Therefore the prohibition only applies to 
monetary matters

*Minchas Chinuch^ **(241:1): Do not take revenge - *Look at the Rambam 
(Hilchos De'os 7:7). However in Yoma (23a) it explains that this 
prohibition only applies in monetary matters but not matters involving 
bodily pain there is no prohibition of not taking revenge or not being 
spiteful. In the case of bodily pain it is only an act of piety not to 
hold a grudge. But the Rambam and also the Chinuch omit mentioning of 
this distinction and in fact it appears that they hold that one 
transgresses the prohibitions in all cases and this is a contraction to 
the gemora. Also look at the Rambam (Hilchos Talmid Torah 7:13) where he 
states that a talmid chachom that has been publicly embarrassed should 
take revenge and hold a grudge. See also the Kesef Mishna and the Lechem 
Mishna. Nevertheless no one commits a sin for taking revenge for 
personal suffering. I found in the Semag (11-12) who states that for 
personal suffering one does not transgress the prohibition of revenge 
and that this is learned from Yoma (23a). Therefore the question remains 
why the Rambam and the Chinuch apparently rule contrary to the gemora.

*Shabbos^ **(63a): *Reish Lakish said: Even if a talmid chachom is 
vengeful and bears a grudge like a serpent -- cling to him because [you 
will benefit from his learning -- Rashi], in contrast even if an 
ignorant person is pious -- do not dwell in his vicinity [because his 
piety is faulty and you end up learning from him -- Rashi].




-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20100218/c68bfb0d/attachment-0001.htm>