Q&A: May God avenge his blood ๐ข? On the contrary, may God reward the killer…๐ค
May God avenge his blood ๐ข? On the contrary, may God reward the killer…๐ค
Question
Following our teacher Yuval Noah Harari (p. 291) โ true, there he is mocking an ISIS announcement, but Iโm holding up a mirror here.
Iโm wondering: if someone was killed for the sanctification of Godโs name, then he is now in the highest possible place in Heaven, etc., and things are good for him, and fortunate is his lot, etc.
If so, why should God (or the IDF?) avenge his blood?
If my beloved brother were to win a million at a lottery stand ๐ธ, would I go and burn down the stand?
And if despite that we are filled with feelings of vengeance, that would seem to mean that, somehow, we donโt completely believe that things are now good for him and that he is in the highest place, and so on
?
Answer
I didnโt understand who that aforementioned โour teacherโ is.
First, even if I am going to Heaven, Iโd be happy for that to happen as late as possible. I have an interest in continuing to live here. And certainly those close to me have an interest in that too, because even if I got there, it involves separation. So if someone helped me get to Heaven too early, there is room for those close to me to be angry at him and seek vengeance.
Second, most Jews who are killed are not sanctifiers of Godโs name. They are simply victims. So there is no reason to think that because of this they will merit Heaven. The fact that people speak about soldiers and terror victims and the like as sanctifiers of Godโs name is only for the sake of comforting the mourners. There is no logical basis for it, nor even the slightest textual source.
Discussion on Answer
Also, yes indeed, obviously weโre not completely sure that the deceased relative is going off to chill in Heaven. And even if so, what exactly remains of him that went there, and what was lost forever from what we knew? Does the zit on his forehead go with him to Heaven too? Does his addiction to Angry Birds?
The claim is that those killed for the sanctification of Godโs name are in the highest place a person can reach, even more than if their whole lives had been devoted to serving God with all their heart.
A place that no angel or creature can even fathom…
Now the arithmetic is simple: even if they had lived another 3 years or 83 years, they still would not have reached such a high place.
So the deal looks worthwhile.
Either a few days or years pass and eternity is, at best, in an okay place,
or there are fewer days and years โ which in any case pass โ and eternity is upgraded beyond compare, and for sure.
Fairness says the second deal is much better =
And if so, the question returns.
The separation? The end always comes, and in the end people part.
So what is it?
That it comes earlier?
But this is just a deal: moving up by a few years in this world of falsehood in exchange for a tremendous and certain eternal upgrade…
Our teacher: Yuval Noah Harari