"War of Vengeance"

27 Tammuz 5784 
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Mattot-Masei / Mevorchim

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Excerpted from "War of Vengeance" 
by Rabbi Meir Kahane, ztz"l, Hy"d

...Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, “Take vengeance for the Children of Israel against the Midianites; afterwards, you will be gathered unto your people." (Num. 31:1)  Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among yourselves for the legion that they may be against Midian to inflict Hashem's vengeance against Midian." (Num. 31:3)  

Great is revenge for it resurrects G-d, proves His existence, and humbles the arrogant sinner so that the righteous and the world joyfully declares (Ps. 58:12), “Verily there is a reward for the righteous.  Verily there is a G-d Who judges on earth.” 

In this regard our sages said (Tanchuma, Matot 4), “Moses yearned to see G-d's revenge on the Midianites before his death, and he would ask G-d to let him see it with his own eyes.  Of Moses it says (Ps. 58:11),  'The righteous man shall rejoice when he sees vengeance.'”  It says here, “Moses yearned.”  He did not merely wish or hope, but he yearned.  The righteous yearn to see revenge against the evil, for it proves that “there is a G-d Who judges on earth.”  

By contrast, whoever relents from revenge against Israel's enemies is actually giving up on avenging G-d, for whoever attacks the people of Israel is actually attacking the G-d of Israel by showing that he does not fear Divine retribution.  Our sages said (Sifri, Matot 157):  “The L-rd spoke to Moses saying, 'Take revenge for the Children of Israel against the Midianites'... Moses spoke to the people saying, 'Detach men for armed service against Midian, so that the L-rd's revenge can be taken against the Midianites'” (Num. 31:1-3): This is in praise of the righteous. They do not depart from the world until they take revenge on behalf of Israel, which is the revenge of Him Who brought the world into being."

G-d told Moses to take revenge “for the Children of Israel", and Moses called it “G-d's revenge,” to inform us that the two are the same.  Our sages also said (Sifri, Beha'alot'cha, 84):  “Arise, O L-rd, and scatter Your enemies!  Let Your foes flee before You” (Num. 10:35): Can He Who created the world be said to have “enemies”?  Rather, the verse informs us that if someone hates the Jewish People, it is as though he hates G-d.  Elsewhere Sifri teaches (Matot 157): Moses told them, “You are not taking the revenge of flesh and blood, but of Him Who brought the world into being,...."  

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CHODESH AV TOV