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Secret revenge

שו”תSecret revenge
asked 3 years ago

I’m asking in general terms, but my motivation is a very specific incident that happened to me.
Don’t worry, I’m not really going to implement this, so there’s no need to be afraid to give me a practical answer without knowing all the details.
Someone did me harm maliciously and to humiliate me – both financial damage and physical pain and great anger.
I can’t fight him directly because of the balance of power.
It’s also impossible to sue him because there is no evidence of anything and it’s not a large enough amount (around 250 shekels).
In short, I have nothing to do and he laughs in my face.
And I am very nervous.
The question is this:
According to Halacha, without the legal aspect now, in general and without committing to this case, am I allowed to secretly take revenge on him?
 
Scratch his car
Throw a stone at his window.
To make a hole in the pipe
To uproot trees in his garden
Apply gouache paint to the clothes he has on the rope.
Harass him with phone calls and emails and threaten him
To give him a bad name in the neighborhood with lies
To knock out the electricity from time to time
And if necessary, I have a few more ideas.

If such a thing is permitted, when there is no other option, and when the reward is reasonable – then great.
If such a thing is forbidden, then I don’t understand anything. What can a person do when someone stronger than him maliciously harms him but there is no way to bring witnesses and all that?
 
thanks


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0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 3 years ago
This is a complicated question that I cannot give a general answer to. As a general rule, it is not permissible to cause harm just for the sake of doing so, even if you have been harmed. At most, it is permissible to take legal action against yourself, meaning to take money from him in proportion to the harm he caused you. But even this has limitations (some opinions say that it is permissible only if you can prove the matter in court). If you intend to do the deed to prevent the harm before it is caused, it is permissible proportionately.

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שואל replied 3 years ago

Even in cases where it is permissible to take money as a measure of harm, is it not permissible to harm him in the same measure? What is the logic?

מיכי Staff replied 3 years ago

Logic is obvious. You are not responsible for punishing him. At most, you can take what is yours or make him pay you. Simply harming him is not within your authority.

שואל replied 3 years ago

Not punishment but collection, I collect the money he should give me and throw the money into the sea. And to shorten the proceedings I harm him and that's it. And that's how we offset. What is his business at all in what way I choose to deprive him of the money by giving it to me or by harming him.

מיכי Staff replied 3 years ago

This is a scam. After you have the money, throw it into the sea if you want.

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