[Avodah] Revenge and Punishment

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 11:09:27AM +0000, Dov Kaiser wrote:
:> We say Hashem yiqom

: At first, I thought it was just a typo, but I have noticed that both
: RMB and RZS have been writing *yikom*. I believe it should be *yinkom*.

I appeal to the "we say" and will pretend I was correct. After all,
that is what is generally said. <g>

As for the real issue, the pasuq is quite clear what the neqamah is about
"lamah yomeru haggoyim ayeh E-loheihem, yivada baggoyim le'eineinu niqmas
ddam avadekh hashafukh" (Tehillim 79:10).

The Radaq emphasizes that the matter is chullul hasheim, and the Malbim
does as well and invokes that this is a continuation of kavod shimkha,
ie the lemaan shemekha at the end of pasuq 9. This is not about some
kind of tit-for-tat balance, but a need to show the world that there
really is a Just G-d.

Medrash Tehillim (Buber's edition) 149, brings this to "Keil neqamos
Hashem", and says "lo niqmas adam elah neqamos Hashem".

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man is capable of changing the world for the
micha at aishdas.org        better if possible, and of changing himself for
http://www.aishdas.org   the better if necessary.
Fax: (270) 514-1507            - Victor Frankl, Man's search for Meaning