Walter Benjamin in "On a critique of violence" writes: "Just as God is opposed to myth in all spheres, so divine violence runs counter to mythic violence. Indeed, divine violence designates in all respects an antithesis to mythic violence. If mythic violence is law-positing, divine violence is law-annihilating; if the former establishes boundaries, the latter boundlessly annihilates them; if mythic violence inculpates [verschuldend] and expiates [sühnend] at the same time, divine violence de-expiates [entsühnend]; if the former threatens, the latter strikes; if the former is bloody, the latter is lethal in a bloodless manner" "Mythic violence is blood-violence over mere life for the sake of violence itself; divine violence is pure violence over all of life for the sake of the living. The former demands sacrifice (*in German the word is the same as "victim" - which is very important here I believe); the latter assumes it (*the latter assumes victims)." Mythic violence: Torah commands the Jews to circumcise their sons. This is a myth. This is blood-violence over mere life for the sake of violence itself. Law-positing violence. This is bloody. Divine violence: I tell you to stop mutilating the dicks of your sons. This is divine violence - pure violence over all of life for the sake of the living. Law-annihilating violence. This is lethal in a bloodless manner. Judaism and Frank establish boundaries, I annihilate them. What Judaism and Frank do should be considered chillul hashem -- at least from a secular perspective ;) What I'm doing is to be considered kiddush hashem.
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25 Feb 25
On the difference between mythic and divine violence