Q. How can we rejoice when our enemies die? I saw many yeshivas singing and dancing when Nasrallah was eliminated. Of course we need to defend ourselves, but why rejoice?

Answer: You ask a very important question. We are taught that those who love good and G-d, should not tolerate evil (Tehilim 97, 10). As opposed to the Christians, we forbid to ‘turn the other cheek” (as Jesus himself selfishly wandered the Judean desert when his brothers were fighting the Romans!), but are obligated to pray, and even fight and defeat evil (Rambam, M’lachim ch. 4-5), as we see our heroes do throughout the Tanach (Bible). It is immoral towards society and towards the evil person himself (!) to suffer and tolerate his immorality (Guide for Perplexed iii, 35). The Talmud (Megilla 16a, Psachim 117a) recounts that it is natural (i.e. G-dly), to rejoice when our enemies are defeated, and we must even sing songs of thanks to G-d when they are overcome. Although we find some versions of the midrash where G-d rebukes the angels (!) for singing at the downfall of the Egyptian enemies (Yalkut Shimoni, Divrei HaYamim II, 1085), we are man (who were endangered) and not angels (who weren't!), and He created us that it is natural, and desirable to do so. Hizkiya was even punished for not singing praise after the defeat of Sanherev (ibid), as opposed to Moshe & Miriam (Shmot 15), Devora (Shoftim 5), and David throughout Tehilim (Psalms). Judaism is not naïve, and we know from 3,300 years of anti-Semitism, that even though we hate fighting, we must be prepared to do so. Morality must be real, not artificial, and it is clearly unnatural not to hate an anti-Semite who wants to kill you and your children. Moreover, celebration for the fall of the enemies of Israel shows a positive love and national identification, and conversely, only one who isn’t truly worried when Israel goes to war, doesn’t rejoice when we are victorious over our enemies. The Talmud (Megilla 16a) differentiates, that the Bible’s teaching that we are not supposed to rejoice in the death of our enemies (Proverbs 24, 17), which apparently contradicts many places where we do so in the Bible, refers to if the bad person is our brother, a fellow Jew. In that case, we do not pray for his downfall, but rather that he should change his evil ways (Brachot 10a), and try and convince him, as well (VaYikra 19, 17). If his actions hurt others, he obviously should be punished and deterred, nevertheless, he is our brother, and as such, receives special patience. On the other hand, Judaism leaves zero tolerance for the Hamans, Hitlers, Nasrallahs or any anti-Semite or Jew-killer. Yes, in the end of days we dream of peace and helping those same gentile neighbors, but in the meantime, not only is such tolerance for murderous enemies naïve & immoral, but we’re not allowed to rely on miracles! We act G-dly, and together with Him, work for a better and moral future for all mankind! With Love of Israel, Rabbi Ari Shvat