רחמנות on a mass murderer

“Maybe if more people recognized the pain of these suffering youth, we can do more to actually prevent these acts“

I think instilling in them fear of G-D and authority would prevent it too

Agree with @smerel. On this world, we have rules. Hashem told us how to deal with situations. Hashem will ultimately deal with him as needed.

It says by ihr hanidachas ונתן לך רחמים, Hashem will give you mercy, and the GRA explains that we might get used to cruelty (which here is required), so we get blessed to be merciful. So don’t worry to apply cruelty like your case where necessary. It says ובערת הרע מקרבך, we have a responsibility to eliminate the bad in order others should not learn from it and he should not repeat his bad deeds.

אין לבית דין אלא מה שעיניו רואות, the Beis Din follows what it sees. We cannot show any mercy.

coffee addict your quote is very important, so I will translate it.
Whoever is merciful when should be cruel, the end will be, that one will be cruel when should be merciful.

Ujm,

😉

And Reb eliezer agrees with it!

Democrats are מרחם when it comes to bail reform so it’s understandable that they are cruel when it comes to abortions (or even to arresting a bodega owner)

It all comes from the same place

Of course we have Rachmanus on a murderer. That’s why ברור לו מיתה יפה.

To continue what I said, with almost every criminal, there was a trajectory of unfortunate circumstances in the perps life, until he eventually commits a terrible crime. Obviously bad things happened to him, whether from others or perhaps mental illness. None of these things are permission to ruin other’s lives or even to cause pain to others. The world community requires people to behave in ways that do not endanger others and respects people’s rights to their own possessions. Without these boundaries, the world cannot continue existing. We can feel terrible for those who were not blessed with healthy families or stable communities, and we should try to spread positivity. But there are red lines and some behaviors cannot be tolerated.

Poor Mr. Hitler. What a horrible childhood. No wonder he did what he did.

The body is judged together with the neshama as the two people, one blind one lame, who picked fruit off a tree, the blind holding the lame on his shoulders. No one by themselves could commit the crime. The murderer and the gun are together responsible as this parable. Guns don’t kill, people do, but maybe people don’t kill, guns do.

“The murderer and the gun are together responsible as this parable“

Are you saying people can’t get killed other ways? (Ie car, knife….)

It’s worth noting the contrast between Divine punishment and an earthly court.

It’s brought down that the Beis Din shel Maala only punishes someone once they turn 20.
This is in contrast with the beis din shel matah, which will execute a youth once he is Bar Mitzvah.

The reason is because the Heavenly Court can judge a person’s intent, mental state etc. A person hasn’t fully finished developing until 20 years old; so the Heavenly Court can take those factors into account and delay or mitigate his punishment.

In contrast, a beis din is all about the action. If a person committed an aveirah which carries the death penalty, then (assuming witnesses hasraah etc.) we will kill him based on his actions.
The fact that he struggled maturity wise is irrelevant down here. We need to put an end to these sorts of actions, and the Torah teaches us that the way to “eradicate the evil” is by executing the wicked.

So while we could feel rachmanus for the sort of life the murderer has experienced, we still should execute him. The Rachmanus should not be a factor when establishing him punishment- even though it’s very possible that the Divine Court may take it into account.