"Jubilation When The Wicked Perish"

An interesting debate is being conducted in some circles in Israel as to precisely how happy one should be at Arafat's demise.

One Biblical verse that has often been quoted of late is, "When the wicked perish, there is jubilation" (Proverb 11,10). A statement by the Tekumah party - a faction of the National Union - notes that the Talmud cites this verse in response to witnesses who fear that their testimony might help put someone to death. The judges tell them, "You will not be liable for this blood; it is rather a merit for you, to purify the world from evil and to add light and joy, as is written, 'When the wicked perish, there is jubilation.'"

Tekumah also quotes Rabbi A. I. Kook, Chief Rabbi of pre-State Israel, as writing that the verse implies that even "evil itself, in its depth, longs for its own demise and rejoices in it." The Tekumah statement concludes, "If we recall the dark passion of the terrorists to kill themselves together with their victims, and Arafat's wish to be a shahid [martyr], we can begin to understand Rabbi Kook's words, and see the kindness that was done to Arafat with his passing from the world."

Others quote a different verse in Proverbs: "When your enemy falls, do not rejoice" (24, 17). Some explain, however, that this is referring to one's personal enemy, but not to "wicked people" in general, over whose downfall one should rejoice. Others explain that this means not to have public rejoicing in the streets.

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Dean of Yeshivat Ateret Cohanim in the Old City of Jerusalem and Rabbi of Beit El, writes that when considering the injunction not to "rejoice upon the fall of your enemy," it depends who the enemy is: "When the Purim story occurred, Mordechai did not act particularly compassionately towards Haman. When the latter cited this verse, Mordechai replied that it did not apply to him. The same with Arafat, who killed many Jews and left many widows, widowers, orphans and suffering wounded... It's true that G-d told the angels not to sing when the Egyptians were drowning in the Red Sea - but the Children of Israel did sing! We, too, are not angels - just as the Rabbi of Pisetzna, Rabbi Kalman Kalonymus Shapira, wrote during the Holocaust: 'Did an angel ever get hit? Did an angel ever get murdered? Did an angel ever get humiliated? We did! In Egypt, the angels didn't suffer - so they don't have to sing [afterwards]. But we did suffer, [and that's why we sang]...' For Arafat we say, 'when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.'"

The Pikuach Nefesh Rabbis Association, headed by Rabbis Yaakov Yosef (son of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef), David Druckman of Kiryat Motzkin, and Yosef Garletzky, similarly states that the day of Arafat's death is one of "happiness and rejoicing for the Nation of Israel." The organization published a call to make the day one of celebration, and stated,

"We wish to uproot the mistake of those who mock those who are happy on this day as 'right-wing extremists," as those who do so, deviate gravely from the natural instincts and feelings of our people, who hate the enemies of the Jews and are happy at their downfall. 'So may all Your enemies fall, O G-d!'"

The first celebration of Purim in Esther 10:

1 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;

2 the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt; and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them was fallen upon all the peoples.

3 And all the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and they that did the king's business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them.

4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

5 And the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they would unto them that hated them.

6 And in Shushan the castle the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.

7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

8 and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

9 and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha,

10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews' enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the castle was brought before the king.

12 And the king said unto Esther the queen: 'The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the castle, and the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now whatever thy petition, it shall be granted thee; and whatever thy request further, it shall be done.'

13 Then said Esther: 'If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews that are in Shushan to do to-morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.'

14 And the king commanded it so to be done; and a decree was given out in Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

15 And the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

16 And the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy and five thousand--but on the spoil they laid not their hand--

17 on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

18 But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

19 Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that dwell in the unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

21 to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

22 the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

23 And the Jews took upon them to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;

24 because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast pur, that is, the lot, to discomfit them, and to destroy them;

25 but when she came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head; and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come unto them,

27 the Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to the writing thereof, and according to the appointed time thereof, every year;

28 and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote down all the acts of power, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

30 And he sent letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,

31 to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had ordained for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

32 And the commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.