O nations, acclaim God’s people! For He’ll avenge the blood of His servants, wreak vengeance on His foes, and cleanse His people’s land. (Devarim 32:43)

In Avinu Malkeinu we say נקם נקמת דם עבדיך השפוך (avenge the spilled blood of Your servants). While this prayer might be appropriate at certain times, how is it appropriate to ask for revenge for those who were killed at this time of year? One would think there are more appropriate prayers during this time that will help us be judged favorably! Indeed, the idea that at any time we would ask Hashem to take revenge also needs to be explained. Usually, revenge has negative connotations associated with it, and there is even a Torah law prohibiting taking revenge (lo sikkom).

There may be a variety of reasons for taking revenge, but they usually are debased, and that is why revenge is forbidden. In fact, the gemora tells us that there are certain circumstances where a talmid chacham would be obligated to take revenge, even though it is normally forbidden.

There is a famous story about the Chofetz Chaim (Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen Kagan 1838 –1933) who knew a person who rented out a house to a poor family. He evicted them in the middle of the winter for failure to pay their rent. Decades later this man’s house burnt down. The Chofetz Chaim commented that he had expected to see the revenge on the person. The holy Chofetz Chaim expects revenge??? I believe the explanation is rather simple. There often doesn’t seem to be any direct connection between a punishment, and the action that brought it about. For example, a child who doesn’t do well on a test might be punished by being banned from the class trip. However, sometimes punishments are clearly connected to the misdeed. A person who doesn’t prepare for Shabbos won’t have what to eat on Shabbos. We don’t see this as a punishment, but as a consequence. Those are the regular punishments in the Torah – a person commits a sin, Hashem punishes the person mida keneged mida, measure for measure.

Sometimes, as in the above story with the Chafetz Chayim, there are punishments which glaringly show the cause. This type of revenge brings about honor to Hashem, by showing that He runs the world. We stand during the 10 days of repentance and we plead to Hashem, “Asei lemaan shemecha” – you should give us forgiveness for the sake of your name. Klal Yisrael is associated with Hashem, therefore, when something negative happens to us, it is in a sense a stain on Hashem’s honor. When those who afflict the Jews go unpunished, this brings disgrace to Hashem’s name. However, when revenge is taken against those who afflict the Jews, we see clearly that Hashem is in control – Yesh din yesh dayin (there is law and a Judge who executes the law) – and this brings honor to Hashem.

The Netziv (Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin 1816-1893) on the above verse gives us direction as to what kind of feelings we should have at our juncture in Jewish history. There are many people who anticipate seeing our enemies receive their punishment, and when it happens, they cheer with glee. This is not the meaning of “nikom nikmas dam…” that we pray for in Avinu Malkeinu. My understanding of the Netziv’s explanation is that precisely on that spot of earth that soaked in the blood of those lives which were taken, we have established a place for the Jews to live and do mitzvos. Through that we have taken the ultimate revenge: That the enemies’ plans to destroy us didn’t work. The exact place where there was a desecration of Hashem becomes a place of a sanctification of Hashem. Based on this, we are praying in Avinu Malkeinu that Hashem’s glory be restored. By us seeing Hashem’s glory restored, it strengthens our belief in Him.

May we merit to see our enemies vanquished in a way that will propel us to serve Hashem with greater fortitude. May this allow us to serve Him in a country with secure boundaries, which will afford us the ability to focus on doing Torah and Mitzvos. This will hopefully then bring us to true repentance, as we vanquish our ultimate enemy, the Yetzer Hara.