Q&A: What Is the Difference Between Justice and Revenge?
What Is the Difference Between Justice and Revenge?
Question
Hello Rabbi. a0
How does the Rabbi define the concept of justice, and how does he define the concept of revenge, and is there a difference between them? a0
Assuming there is a difference, is revenge a morally negative trait? a0
Answer
Vindictiveness is a bad trait because it does not come from judgment and deliberation but from instinct. But there is definitely a place for revenge in our world, and we even praise the Holy One, blessed be He, for being a jealous and avenging God, or a God of vengeance. As for private individuals, there is a prohibition of “do not take revenge and do not bear a grudge,” and one can discuss whether this indicates that revenge is inherently bad, or whether it only means that there is a halakhic prohibition involved (or an obligation toward the other person that overrides the value of revenge).
Discussion on Answer
Just now, column 596 went up, which answers the question in this thread at greater length. See there the methodological introduction I gave.
What is the plain meaning of “The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance”?