Reclaiming the Term "Nekama" (Revenge) with Rav Shlomo Katz

12. Standing Up to Restore Nekama and Kiddush Hashem

In the final session, Rav Shlomo Katz calls Am Yisrael to "stand up" (kum), as inspired by Rabbi Meir Kahane, rejecting the humiliation of galut mentality that tolerates evil, as seen in post-October 7, 2023, hostage releases and societal compromises. Drawing from Tehillim’s plea for Hashem to rise, this episode urges Jews to walk with dignity, eradicate enemies like Amalek without fear, and awaken nationally to ensure Kiddush Hashem. It’s a clarion call to live as Hashem’s soldiers, building a true Malchut for Geula.

11. Misguided Mercy: Torah’s Call for Nekama to Uphold Justice

Rav Shlomo Katz exposes the peril of misplaced compassion (rachamim) on the cruel, as taught by the Ramban and Rabbi Meir Kahane, using the Torah’s Ir Nidachat (idolatrous city) to illustrate the necessity of eradicating evil without hesitation. Post-October 7, 2023, as hostage releases evoke emotional manipulation, Am Yisrael must reject Western-influenced mercy that enables enemies like Amalek. This episode urges Torah-driven nekama to remove Hashem’s wrath, ensuring Kiddush Hashem and hastening Geula, while staying clear of personal vengeance.

10. Milchemet Nekama: Torah’s Call to Eradicate Evil Without Compromise

Rav Shlomo Katz delves into the Torah’s concept of Milchemet Nekama (war of vengeance), guided by the Maharal, Rambam, Netziv, Rav Hershel Schachter, and Rav Shaul Yisraeli. Exploring Milchemet Mitzvah (e.g., against Amalek, Seven Nations) versus Milchemet Reshut, the episode clarifies that nations failing to uphold justice—like Shechem’s complicity in Dina’s rape or modern enemies post-October 7, 2023—lose their claim to innocence. Rejecting Western moral confusion, Am Yisrael is urged to embrace Torah-driven nekama for Kiddush Hashem, ensuring victory and hastening Geula.

9. Av Harachamim: Confronting the Call for Divine Nekama with Clarity

Rav Shlomo Katz examines the Av Harachamim prayer, recited every Shabbat, which pleads for Hashem’s vengeance against those who desecrate His name. In the wake of October 7, 2023, atrocities—like the 44-day identification of a 12-year-old girl’s remains—we question whether Jews can recite these words without internalizing their demand for Kiddush Hashem.

8. Is This War Amalek? Nekama as a Divine Response to Evil

Rav Shlomo Katz confronts the question of whether the current war aligns with the Torah’s concept of Amalek. Amalek’s essence—attacking Jews to defy Hashem’s name—mirrors the horrors of October 7, 2023, from rocket barrages to atrocities against Am Yisrael. This episode explores how nekama, when rooted in Kiddush Hashem, restores divine presence, rejecting perverted compassion that obscures Hashem’s throne. Amid ongoing trauma, Jews are called to awaken from the galut coma, embrace Torah-guided zeal, and unify for true shalom to hasten Mashiach.