When Evil Dies

There is a lot of talk about Osama Bin Laden these past few days.  People are speculating whether he is really dead and if so, whether we should rejoice in his death.  I went to a Torah Study yesterday and after the study we discussed this very subject.  Of course we were all ears.  I always love a Torah perspective!

When the Jews left Egypt we were followed.  The sea parted for us and then came down on our enemy causing them to drown.  However, we questioned if they really drowned.  This is only normal.  We were afraid because without evidence there was the possibility they could wash up on the shore, survive and still come after us.  So what happened?  It is said the bodies washed up on shore, assuring us they were gone and we were really free.  So,  it is not unreasonable to want proof we are out of harms way.  While we may not really want to see pictures etc....it is totally acceptable to want proof we are safe from those who threaten us.

The second discussion is whether we should rejoice over a person such as Bin Laden being killed.  In speaking of Bin Laden we say he was a terrorist and he killed people, and others say but he is G-d's creation as well.  When we say we are rejoicing, we must know what we are rejoicing about.  We are not necessarily happy a man has died per say; we are rejoicing that the evil he inflicted on others is gone.  The part of him that was a murderer can not hurt anyone anymore.  With Bin Laden gone (or any person who presents a threat) , there are lives that have now been saved.  This is what we can be happy about-or at least breath a sigh of relief.  We do not have to scrutinize over the man as a human being, it is not our job especially since we have never even met him.  We go with what we know. 

To wrap it up it is not unreasonable to want proof of someone's death when that person has been a threat to you, and what we can rejoice over is the lives that have been saved due to his death.

Shabbat Shalom!