Rabbi Zweig explores Pirkei Avos 4:19 about not rejoicing when enemies fall, revealing how such joy reflects viewing God as our personal enforcer rather than King of the universe.
This shiur analyzes Pirkei Avos 4:19, where Shmuel HaKatan quotes Shlomo HaMelech: "Do not rejoice at the falling of your enemy...lest Hashem (ה׳) see and it will be evil in His eyes, and He will take His anger away from him [and direct it to you]." Rabbi Zweig begins with three fundamental questions: Why does the Mishnah (משנה) attribute this verse from Mishlei to a rabbi rather than its original author? Why does the enemy's punishment transfer to us rather than receiving separate punishment? And why is the enemy's punishment completely removed? The answer centers on the concept of divine justice versus divine war. Drawing from Abraham's dialogue with God about Sodom, Rabbi Zweig explains that God operates in two modes: as a judge (for individual sins) and as a warrior (against systematic rebellion). When an entire community rebels against God's authority - like the laws of Ir HaNidachas (wayward city) - God wages war, affecting even innocents. Individual sins contain two elements: personal weakness and subtle rebellion against God's laws. When we rejoice at an enemy's downfall, we reveal a fundamental theological error - we view God as our personal bodyguard or enforcer rather than the King of the universe. This attitude represents the ultimate rebellion: positioning ourselves as the center of the universe with God as our servant. The enemy's original punishment included both rehabilitation and consequence for rebellion against God. When we celebrate their downfall, we reframe God's justice as personal favoritism, essentially declaring that God punished them for our sake, not for violating divine will. This transforms us into greater rebels than our enemy. Consequently, the divine fury (af) that was directed at our enemy for their rebellion now targets us for our greater transgression of dethroning God. The enemy's punishment is forgiven because our interpretation corrupted its meaning - instead of learning about divine justice, the punishment appears as favoritism. Shmuel HaKatan earned his title as "the small Samuel" by approaching the greatness of the Prophet Samuel, who established Jewish kingship and brought God's presence into the world. His constant repetition of this teaching emphasized recognizing God as King, not our personal advocate. The Mishnah attributes this verse to Shmuel HaKatan to emphasize his interpretation: everything that happens in the world serves God's honor, not our personal interests. When someone wrongs us, they primarily violate God's command to treat others properly - the offense against us is secondary to their rebellion against God. True celebration should focus on the restoration of divine honor, not personal vindication. This egocentric worldview, where we interpret all events through our personal relationships and grievances, fundamentally distorts our relationship with the Divine and represents a profound theological error that the Mishnah seeks to correct.
An innovative explanation resolving the apparent contradiction between two Pirkei Avos teachings about honoring friends, connected to the tragic death of Rabbi Akiva's 24,000 students.
Rabbi Zweig explores the profound teaching that 'a person who has shame cannot learn,' examining the difference between healthy shame that removes falseness and unhealthy shame that prevents growth.
Pirkei Avos 4:19
Sign in to access full transcripts
