Parsha Halacha

Parsha Halacha – Parshat Shelach – Shabbat Mevorchim Tammuz

Rejoicing in the Destruction of the Wicked, Or Not

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The Torah portion of Shelach discusses the story of the spies and their demise by a plague as a punishment for slandering the land of Israel.^[1] As such, this article will discuss the question of whether or not G-d rejoices over the destruction of wicked people.

Joy or Sadness?

There are conflicting sources as to whether or not G-d rejoices when the wicked are destroyed. On the one hand the wicked destroy the world through their sins,[2] one the other hand, G-d says, “I have no pleasure in the death of one that dies, therefore (rather) turn (do teshuvah), and live.”[3]

Here are sources^[4] that seem to indicate that the destruction of the wicked is a reason for joy.

Sources for Rejoicing

●      King Solomon wrote בַאֲבֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה - “When the wicked are destroyed, there is Jubilation”^[5]

●      When the wicked king Achav was killed by the Arameans in battle the verse says, וַיַּעֲב֤ר הָֽרִנָּה בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה – “and the jubilation passed through the camp.”

●      The Talmud says^[6] that King David didn’t say the word Hallelukah (praised be G-d) until he perceived the (coming) downfall of the wicked in the end of chapter 104 of Tehillim.

Sources for Not Rejoicing

●      No Angelic Song When the Sea Split

The Talmud says that, at the time of the splitting of the sea, the angels wanted to sing praises to G-d, but He prevented them from doing so, saying; מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי טוֹבְעִין בַּיָּם, וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה? – “The work of My hands (the Egyptians) are drowning at sea, and you wish to sing?” This is alluded to in the verse concerning the splitting of the sea, which says,^[7] וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה אֶל זֶה כׇּל הַלָּיְלָה. This can be interpreted to mean, “the angels who usually ‘call out one to another’ [to sing to G-d,]^[8] didn’t approach [to sing] that night.” 

o  According to the Midrash,^[9] this is the reason we do not say the full Hallel on the last days of Pesach – since it’s inappropriate to (fully) rejoice while one’s enemy is falling (i.e. at the time the Egyptians were being killed.)^[10]The Talmud^[11] gives a different reason as to why we don’t say Hallel on these days – because it’s considered a continuation of the first days of Pesach since the same number of sacrifices were brought on all of the days of Pesach.

o  It’s noteworthy that the Shulchan Aruch HaRav^[12] only quotes the reason given in the Talmud while the Mishnah Berurah^[13] mentions both reasons. The commentaries^[14] explain that the reasons complement each other. As the Talmud is explaining why there isn’t full Hallel on these days despite their being days of Chol Hamoed and Yom Tov. While the Midrash is explaining why we don’t say the full Hallel despite the fact that a miracle (the splitting of the sea) occurred on that day. This, despite the fact that we say full Hallel for the Chanukah miracle.

●      No Mention of G-d’s Goodness During a Battle

Before King Yehoshafat began battling against the nations of Ammon and Moab, he had the Levites sing to G-d about the coming salvation. They said, הוֹדוּ לה׳ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ – “Give praise to G-d because His kindness is forever.” This prayer usually includes the words כִּי טוֹב – “that He is good” but those words were left out because the Ammonites and Moabites were about to beannihilated. As such, it wasn’t appropriate to mention G-d’s goodness.

He Isn’t Happy But He Makes Others Happy

The Talmud^[15] resolves these differing sources by explaining that, although G-d isn’t happy when the wicked are destroyed, yet by destroying them, He is giving a reason for others to rejoice. This can be understood from the following verse^[16] ״וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׂשׂ ה׳ עֲלֵיכֶם לְהֵיטִיב אֶתְכֶם כֵּן יָשִׂישׂ... לְהָרַע אֶתְכֶם which can be translated to mean, “Just as the L-rd rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the L-rd will make others rejoice over youto cause you to perish, and to destroy you.”

The sources can now be explained as follows:

●      Although the angels couldn’t sing to G-d for the splitting of the sea, the Jewish people rightfully celebrated their salvation by singing the Song of the Sea. 

●      When the wicked (including Achav) are destroyed, there is joy among those whom they were oppressing although G-d would have preferred that the wicked do Teshuvah.

●      King David rejoiced upon foreseeing the destruction of the wicked as he was happy that the righteous Jews would be freed from their oppression.

●      The Levites couldn’t sing about G-d’s goodness when many people were going to be killed as this situation isn’t totally good as it would be better if they had done teshuvah.

I have found several other explanations about this matter.[17]

At the Time vs. Later

The Iyun Yaakov (by Rabbi Ya’akov Reisha) says^[18] that G-d rejoices afterHe destroys the wicked but at the time of their destruction, He regrets it (so to speak) as it would have been better if they had repented. This explains why the angels were told not to sing while it was okay for the Jews to sing the Song of the Sea. The reason is the Jews sang their song after the Egyptians had completely drowned whereas the angels were attempting to sing at the time the Egyptians were being destroyed. (As far as why we don’t say Hallel on the last days of Pesach although, nowadays, it’s after the fact, it may be that we are doing this to commemorate the fact that the angels didn’t sing praises that night.)

Immediate Destruction vs. Postponed Punishment

The Sefat Emet^[19] (by Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, the second Gerer Rebbe, based on the Zohar^[20]) writes that when G-d punishes the wicked after they were given time to repent, He is joyous as they are receiving their just deserts. If and when, however, He punishes them immediately after they sin, before extending them time to do teshuvah, He is saddened over their loss. Despite His sadness, in these cases He destroys them in order to save the (Jewish) people whom they were seeking to harm. This explains why the angels were instructed not to sing at the time of the splitting of the sea since (some of) the Egyptians had not been given the full opportunity to do Teshuvah and were being killed immediately in order to protect the Jewish people whom they were trying to enslave once again. (Although Pharaoh had been warned multiple times, it seems that these warnings didn’t reach the regular Egyptians.) On the other hand, King David rejoiced when he foresaw the future destruction of the wicked people who had already been given time to repent and had squandered away their opportunity to do so. The verses which speak about jubilation upon the destruction of (Achav and the other) wicked people are referring to those who were destroyed after being given time to repent. 

Immediate Punishment Is for the Best

Rabbi Yechezkel Landau of Prague (known as the Noda BiYehudah) explains^[21] that when G-d destroys wicked people immediately after their sin, they will not have yet received their reward for the (few) good deeds that they performed. In such cases, they still have a portion in the World to Come which they receive after getting punished for their sins in the Next World. 

Oftentimes, G-d delays the punishment of a sinner in order to repay him for his good deeds in this world. In such cases, when he dies, he has no merit left at all and he receives no portion in the World to Come (G-d forbid). If, during this time, he does teshuvah, he can save himself from a sad fate, and the delay of his punishment turns out to be for the best.

Based on this, Rabbi Landau explains that King David praised G-d upon foreseeing the destruction of the wicked as this reminded him that when the wicked are punished immediately, it is a kindness because that person will be rehabilitated in the World to Come.

According to this explanation, the destruction of the completely wicked people doesn’t warrant song per se, as G-d’s handiwork is being obliterated. Yet, when a mostly wicked person perishes right after sinning, there is reason to rejoice (a little bit), knowing that due to his early demise, he will have a portion in the World to Come.

May we soon rejoice, together with King David and Moshiach, in the complete destruction of the wicked!

[1] Numbers 14:37.

[2] See Avot 5:1

[3] Ezekiel 18:32

[4] Quoted in Megillah 10b and Sanhedrin 39b.

[5] Proverbs 11:10.

[6] Brachot 9b.

[7] Exodus 14:20.

[8] See Isaiah 6:3.

[9] Yalkut Shimoni, Emor, 654 quoted in Beit Yosef O.C. 490, D.H Kol and in Taz ibid, 3.

[10] See Proverbs 24:17, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”

[11] Erkhin 10b.

[12] 490:6.

[13] 490:7 and 644:4v

[14] Yeshu’ot Yaakov on O.C. 490:1, quoted in the Ohr Olam, Mishnah Berurah.

[15] Erkhin, ibid, see Maharsha on Brachot, ibid.

[16] Deut. 28:63.

[17] See Yalkut Bi’urim in the Metivta Shas on Brachot 9b)

[18] In Ein Yakov on Brachot ibid.

[19] On Brachot ibid.

[20] Vol.1 61b and 121b.

[21] Tzlach on Brachot ibid.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach and a Chodesh Tov!