No one punishes wrongdoers putting his mind on what they did and for the sake of this – that they did wrong not unless he is taking mindless vengeance, like a savage brute. One who undertakes to punish rationally does not do so for the sake of the wrongdoing, which is now in the past – but for the sake of the future, that the wrongdoing shall not be repeated, either by him or by others who see him or by others who see him punished.
In some of the Psalms the spirit of hatred which strikes us in the face is like the heat from a furnace mouth. In others the same spirit ceases to be frightful only by becoming (to a modern mind) almost comic in its naïvety.
Examples of the first can be found all over the Psalter, but perhaps the worst is in 109...
Revenge is a kind of wild justice; which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong, putteth the law out of office. Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon. And Solomon, I am sure, saith, It is the glory of a man, to pass by an offence. That which is past is gone, and irrevocable; and wise men have enough to do, with things present and to come; therefore they do but trifle with themselves, that labor in past matters.
It is his glory when he overlooks an offense.
(ז) הַנּוֹקֵם מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לֹא תִקֹּם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה עָלָיו דֵּעָה רָעָה הִיא עַד מְאֹד. אֶלָּא רָאוּי לוֹ לָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת מַעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו עַל כָּל דִּבְרֵי הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהַכּל אֵצֶל הַמְּבִינִים דִּבְרֵי הֶבֶל וַהֲבַאי וְאֵינָן כְּדַאי לִנְקֹם עֲלֵיהֶם. כֵּיצַד הִיא הַנְּקִימָה. אָמַר לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי קַרְדֻּמְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מַשְׁאִילְךָ. לְמָחָר צָרִיךְ לִשְׁאל מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי קַרְדֻּמְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ אֵינִי מַשְׁאִילְךָ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׁאַלְתַּנִי כְּשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתִּי מִמְּךָ, הֲרֵי זֶה נוֹקֵם. אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא לוֹ לִשְׁאל יִתֵּן בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם וְלֹא יִגְמל לוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר גְּמָלוֹ. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּאֵלּוּ. וְכֵן אָמַר דָּוִד בְּדֵעוֹתָיו הַטּוֹבוֹת (תהילים ז ה) "אִם גָּמַלְתִּי שׁוֹלְמִי רָע וָאֲחַלְּצָה" וְגוֹ':
(7) A person who takes revenge against a colleague transgresses a Torah prohibition, as [Leviticus 19:18] states: "Do not take revenge."
Even though [revenge] is not punished by lashes, it is a very bad trait. Instead, a person should [train himself] to rise above his feelings about all worldly things, for men of understanding consider all these things as vanity and emptiness which are not worth seeking revenge for.
What is meant by taking revenge? A person's colleague asks him, "Lend me your hatchet. He responds, "I refuse to lend it to you." On the following day, the person [who refused] needs to borrow a hatchet from his colleague. He asks him: "Lend me your hatchet." The latter responds, "Just as you did not lend it to me, I will not lend it to you." This is considered as taking revenge. Instead, when he comes to ask him for it, he should give it to him with a full heart, without repaying him for what he did.
The same applies in other similar instances. Thus, King David proclaimed regarding his exemplary qualities [Psalms 7:5]: "Have I repaid those who have done evil to me? Behold, I have rescued those who hated me without cause."
(מא) אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי֙ בְּרַ֣ק חַרְבִּ֔י וְתֹאחֵ֥ז בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט יָדִ֑י אָשִׁ֤יב נָקָם֙ לְצָרָ֔י וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י אֲשַׁלֵּֽם׃
And My hand lays hold on judgment,
Vengeance will I wreak on My foes,
Will I deal to those who reject Me.
(ג) אשיב נקם. טעם אשיב כאשר עשו לישראל וכן אשלם:
לטובה מנין. פי' מנין שהוא לשון טובה דכתיב הופיע מהר פארן. לרעה דכתיב אל נקמו' הופיע לאבד הרשעים אלמא נקמת הרשעים טובה גדולה היא כמו שילום שכר טוב לצדיקים ולפיכך נתן בין שני שמות:
(ג) ...כָּךְ אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ (ויקרא יט, יח): לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר, וְאַתְּ נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחום א, ב): נֹקֵם ה' וּבַעַל חֵמָה, נוֹקֵם הוּא לְצָרָיו וְנוֹטֵר הוּא לְאֹיְבָיו. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי כָּתַבְתִּי בַּתּוֹרָה: לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר אֶת בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ, אֲבָל נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר אֲנִי לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, (במדבר לא, ב): נְקֹם נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל...
(3) ...So, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge” (Leviticus 19:18), yet You take revenge and You bear a grudge, as it is stated: “The Lord is vengeful and full of wrath; the Lord is vengeful to His foes, and bears a grudge against His enemies”’ (Nahum 1:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I wrote in the Torah: “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge against the members of your people” (Leviticus 19:18), but I take revenge and I bear a grudge against idolaters: “Take the vengeance of the children of Israel [upon the Midyanites]” (Numbers 31:2)...
וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק: כׇּל תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר כְּנָחָשׁ — אֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם. וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא תִקּוֹם וְלֹא תִטּוֹר״? הָהוּא, בְּמָמוֹן הוּא דִּכְתִיב, דְּתַנְיָא: אֵיזוֹ הִיא נְקִימָה וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא נְטִירָה?...
וְצַעֲרָא דְגוּפָא לָא? וְהָא תַּנְיָא: הַנֶּעֱלָבִין וְאֵינָן עוֹלְבִין, שׁוֹמְעִין חֶרְפָּתָן וְאֵינָן מְשִׁיבִין, עוֹשִׂין מֵאַהֲבָה וּשְׂמֵחִין בְּיִסּוּרִין, עֲלֵיהֶן הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״וְאוֹהֲבָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בִּגְבוּרָתוֹ״! לְעוֹלָם דְּנָקֵיט לֵיהּ בְּלִיבֵּיהּ. וְהָאָמַר רָבָא: כׇּל הַמַּעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו — מַעֲבִירִין לוֹ עַל כׇּל פְּשָׁעָיו! דִּמְפַיְּיסוּ לֵיהּ וּמִפַּיַּיס.
And Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: Any Torah scholar who does not avenge himself and bear a grudge like a snake when insulted is not considered a Torah scholar at all, as it is important to uphold the honor of Torah and its students by reacting harshly to insults. The Gemara asks: But isn’t it written explicitly in the Torah: “You shall not take vengeance nor bear any grudge against the children of your people” (Leviticus 19:18)? The Gemara responds: That prohibition is written with regard to monetary matters and not personal insults, as it was taught in a baraita: What is revenge and what is bearing a grudge?...
The Gemara asks: But does the prohibition against vengeance really not relate also to matters of personal anguish suffered by someone? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita: Those who are insulted but do not insult others, who hear themselves being shamed but do not respond, who act out of love for God, and who remain happy in their suffering, about them the verse states: “They that love Him be as the sun when it goes forth in its might” (Judges 5:31). This baraita shows that one should forgive personal insults as well as wrongs in monetary matters. The Gemara responds that the prohibition against taking vengeance and bearing a grudge indeed applies to cases of personal anguish; however, actually, the scholar may keep resentment in his heart, though he should not act on it or remind the other person of his insulting behavior. The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rava say: With regard to whoever forgoes his reckonings with others for injustices done to him, the heavenly court in turn forgoes punishment for all his sins? The Gemara answers: Indeed, even a scholar who is insulted must forgive insults, but that is only in cases where his antagonist has sought to appease him, in which case he should allow himself to be appeased toward him. However, if no apology has been offered, the scholar should not forgive him, in order to uphold the honor of the Torah.
(יב) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה יַ֣עַן עֲשׂ֥וֹת אֱד֛וֹם בִּנְקֹ֥ם נָקָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֶּאְשְׁמ֥וּ אָשׁ֖וֹם וְנִקְּמ֥וּ בָהֶֽם׃ (יג) לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה וְנָטִ֤תִי יָדִי֙ עַל־אֱד֔וֹם וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֣ם וּבְהֵמָ֑ה וּנְתַתִּ֤יהָ חׇרְבָּה֙ מִתֵּימָ֔ן וּדְדָ֖נֶה בַּחֶ֥רֶב יִפֹּֽלוּ׃ (יד) וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֶת־נִקְמָתִ֜י בֶּאֱד֗וֹם בְּיַד֙ עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעָשׂ֣וּ בֶאֱד֔וֹם כְּאַפִּ֖י וְכַחֲמָתִ֑י וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ אֶת־נִקְמָתִ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ (טו) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה יַ֛עַן עֲשׂ֥וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בִּנְקָמָ֑ה וַיִּנָּקְמ֤וּ נָקָם֙ בִּשְׁאָ֣ט בְּנֶ֔פֶשׁ לְמַשְׁחִ֖ית אֵיבַ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃ (טז) לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י נוֹטֶ֤ה יָדִי֙ עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֖י אֶת־כְּרֵתִ֑ים וְהַ֣אֲבַדְתִּ֔י אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֖ית ח֥וֹף הַיָּֽם׃ (יז) וְעָשִׂ֤יתִי בָם֙ נְקָמ֣וֹת גְּדֹל֔וֹת בְּתוֹכְח֖וֹת חֵמָ֑ה וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּתִתִּ֥י אֶת־נִקְמָתִ֖י בָּֽם׃ {פ}
(12) Thus said the Sovereign GOD: Because Edom acted vengefully against the House of Judah and incurred guilt by wreaking revenge upon it— (13) assuredly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it human and animal, and I will lay it in ruins; from Tema to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. (14) I will wreak My vengeance on Edom through My people Israel, and they shall take action against Edom in accordance with My blazing anger; and they shall know My vengeance—declares the Sovereign GOD. (15) Thus said the Sovereign GOD: Because the Philistines, in their ancient hatred, acted vengefully, and with utter scorn sought revenge and destruction— (16) assuredly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines and cut off the Cherethites and wipe out the last survivors of the seacoast. (17) I will wreak frightful vengeance upon them by furious punishment; and when I inflict My vengeance upon them, they shall know that I am GOD.
(ב) נְקֹם נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים אַחַר תֵּאָסֵף אֶל עַמֶּךָ (במדבר לא, ב), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אִלּוּ הָיָה רוֹצֶה משֶׁה לִחְיוֹת כַּמָּה שָׁנִים הָיָה חַי, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נְקֹם וְאַחַר תֵּאָסֵף, תָּלָה הַכָּתוּב מִיתָתוֹ בְּמִדְיָן, אֶלָּא לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, אָמַר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶחְיֶה יְעַכֵּב נִקְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִיָּד (במדבר לא, ג): וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל הָעָם לֵאמֹר הֵחָלְצוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם אֲנָשִׁים לַצָּבָא, אֲנָשִׁים, צַדִּיקִים...
(במדבר לא, ג): לָתֵת נִקְמַת ה' בְּמִדְיָן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר: נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמשֶׁה אָמַר: נִקְמַת ה' בְּמִדְיָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶם אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא דִּיקוֹ שֶׁלָּכֶם, שֶׁגָּרְמוּ לִי לְהַזִּיק אֶתְכֶם, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, אִם הָיִינוּ עֲרֵלִים, אוֹ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אוֹ כּוֹפְרֵי מִצְווֹת, לֹא הָיוּ שׂוֹנְאִין אוֹתָנוּ וְאֵינָן רוֹדְפִין אַחֲרֵינוּ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לָנוּ, הִלְכָּךְ הַנְּקָמָה שֶׁלְּךָ לָתֵת נִקְמַת ה' בְּמִדְיָן.
(2) (Numb. 31:2) “Exact vengeance [for the Children of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered unto your people]”: R. Judah said, “If Moses had wanted to live for several [more] years, he could have remained alive; as the Holy One, blessed be He, had made his death dependent upon the vengeance against Midian. It is simply to show you the praise of Moses, as he said, ‘For the sake of my remaining alive, I shall delay the Children of Israel's vengeance on Midian?’ [Rather] immediately (in vs. 3), ‘Moses spoke unto the people, saying, “Arm some of your number (anashim) for the army, and let them fall on Midian.”’” [The word,] anashim, [implies that they were] righteous...
(Numb. 31:3, cont.) “To render the vengeance of the Lord against Midian”: The Holy One, blessed be He, had said (in vs. 2), “the vengeance of the Children of Israel”; but Moses says (here in vs. 3), “the vengeance of the Lord.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “It is your judgment that is called for, because they caused Me to harm you.” [But] Moses said, “Master of the world, if we had been uncircumcised or practitioners of star worship or had denied [the binding force of] the commandments, they would not have persecuted us. But [they have done so precisely] because of the Torah and commandments which You have given. The vengeance, therefore, is Yours,” (as in Numb. 31:3), “to render the vengeance of the Lord against Midian.”