In the Torah portion of Metzora (Vayikra 14-15), which is often paired with Tazria (chapter 13), we read (14,34-36) that in the Land of Israel, houses can be afflicted with leprosy. And in such cases, the Cohen must come and order the house to be emptied of the owner's belongings, before it is destroyed. The reason for this, Rashi explains, is to prevent the utensils inside from being defiled – for even though some of them can be purified, clay utensils cannot be purified.

From here we see, Rashi concludes, that the Torah is concerned even for our simplest utensils. And in the Medrash Torat Cohanim on Vayikra, R. Meir derives that if the Torah is so concerned even about a wicked person's meanest possessions, how much more so is He concerned for a righteous person and his special assets!

Other examples abound of G-d's love even for the wicked. Consider, for instance, the case of one who actually worshiped idols: After he is hanged, the Torah bids us to ensure that his corpse is not left there, "because the cursed of G-d is hanging (D'varim 21,23)." Some sages derived from the word "the cursed of G-d" - kil'lat Elokim" – that it indicates kal-let Elokim, meaning "it is not easy for G-d" to see the deaths even of wicked people.

The 18th-century R. Yehonatan Aybeschutz wrote in his classic work Ye'arot Dvash that when we pray for the sick in our daily prayers, we should "pray for all those of Israel, even sinners, who are ill, for our entire nation is one soul and one body – and if one Jew is sick, it is as if one organ of our body is unhealthy… and if a sinner is unhealthy, there is a chance that he will die without repenting – thus leaving our body incomplete."

But certainly this applies only to those whose sins are between man and G-d. But those who sin towards other people, we surely do not pray for them – for by doing so, we are praying that others should continue to suffer at his hands! How can we do a favor by praying for one sinner who is ill, while at the same time we do a disservice to those whom he harms? 

This point is made in the Medrash (Tanna D'vei Eliyahu 18): "If a Jew wishes to be happy at the downfall of wicked people, he may do so regarding those who seek to harm Israel; one is permitted to rejoice at the downfall of such great sinners."

But aside from them, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 46b teaches that G-d is sorrowful when the sinners of Israel die, because He would rather they rectify their deeds so that He need not punish them. And even when and if the judges of the Sanhedrin [the Great Court] ruled that a given idol-worshiper must be executed, they would fast that entire day in order to atone for their souls for having delivered such a verdict.

However: This approach contradicts many other Rabbinic teachings to the effect that G-d is truly happy at the destruction of wicked people. For instance, the Mishna (Sanhedrin 111a) allegorically quotes G-d as saying, "If you carry out the law of the Wayward City [i.e., destroy a city of idolaters], I regard it as if you had brought a perfect Olah sacrifice" in the Holy Temple. 

And in the Medrash Sifri: "There is great joy before G-d when those who anger Him are lost from the world, as is written (Proverbs 11,10): "There is joy when wicked people are lost." And there are other similar sources as well.

How do we resolve such a contradiction? Those who do not delve deeply into the words of the Sages tend to settle on an easy solution by saying that the Sages simply disagreed with each other. However, this approach is almost never true. Rather, as in most cases, both approaches are actually correct – depending on the circumstances. For instance, in this case, G-d is in fact happy when an evil sinner is about to be punished – but then, after the punishment has been meted out and the sin has been atoned for, G-d is sad for him and wishes to bring him close.

This explains why after the idolater is hanged, and his sin has been expunged, it is kal let – not easy for G-d to have him continue to hang there, and commands us to remove him from the tree. 

Similarly, it is forbidden to add even one more whip to the 39 stripes [or fewer, in certain cases] that must be administered to certain sinners – for the Torah states that "your brother must not be shamed [made vile] before you" (D'varim 25,3), calling him "your brother" after he has received his punishment.

And the same is true regarding homes afflicted by leprosy, about which we wrote above: When the homeowner sees the leprosy beginning to spread on his walls, he begins to fear that his home will be razed. And when he calls the Cohen to come, he is already trembling and afraid. Thus, he has already been punished – and therefore G-d has pity even on his cheapest utensils. 

In summation: The examples of joy at the destruction of the wicked apply generally when the sins were between man and man, and the people who rejoice are those who have suffered at the sinners' hands. G-d Himself, however, is not happy after the punishment has been carried out, and He rather waits hopefully for the sinner to repent properly. 

And Rav Kook explains beautifully (in Orot, p. 75) that G-d loves Israel, period – even the sinners:

"The Prophet Malachi says in G-d's name: 'Esav is brother of Yaakov - and I love Yaakov...'  Truly, as we say in our prayers, 'Everlasting love You have loved us… etc.' And even though sometimes we do not see this openly, the clear truth is what the Tribes told their father Yaakov when he suspected them of possibly straying from the true path: 'Just as in your heart there is only one, so too in our heart there is only one.'

"And in Yirmiyahu we read (50,20): 'In those days… the iniquity of Israel shall be sought - but it shall not be there; and the sins of Judah [will be searched for] but they shall not be found, for I will forgive those I leave over.'"