When an atom is split, mass is converted to energy, and that energy, if not very carefully focused and controlled, creates destruction.
It seems that there is a spiritual analog for the physical splitting of the atom. G-d wants certain things to not be ripped apart, because when they are, it results in a lot of damage. G-d does not want us to break those things – and when we do, G-d reacts with yakam, which essentially translates into “punitive vengeance.” The magnitude of that vengeance, in the text, can extend all the way to genocide.
What are the things that are not supposed to be ripped apart?
1: The first is the union of the body and the soul. When separated by force, the perpetrator has committed an act of murder. When separated by a person themselves, either through suicide or by engaging in shameless sexual immorality, the result is the same, and the damage cannot be undone. Splitting the body and the soul result in shock waves throughout society – murder and prostitution undermine everything a holy society stands upon.
2: The second (and really, the third) are related: separating man and G-d, as well as dividing the family by corrupting the deep spiritual loyalty built between husband and wife. We are meant to be together, and G-d has a special vengeful – even genocidal – reaction to those who seek to tear these bonds apart.
Split the atom, bear the consequences. Anger G-d by splitting the things He wants whole, and there is a similar destructive effect on everything in the vicinity.
To try to prevent us from doing that, G-d expressly warns us away from all of it. Here is the textual support:
Murder: G-d pledged punitive vengeance, seven-fold, on anyone who killed Cain. G-d said to him, “I promise, if anyone kills Cain, sevenfold vengeance shall be exacted.” (G. 4:15) Separating the body and soul is a crime against G-d, and it is not tolerated.
As we saw with Cain, intent matters. Cain killed Abel – but it was not murder, because Cain could not have known the result. Killing with intent is murder. Striking without intent to kill is not necessarily murder! Here’s how the text illustrates the principle: a slave-owning party strikes a slave, male or female, with a rod, who dies there and then, this must be avenged. But if the victim survives a day or two, this is not to be avenged, since the one is the other’s property. (Ex. 21:21) Murder triggers vengeance. Killing without intent to murder has only monetary consequences. But murder is acting casually with a human soul, one gifted by G-d. G-d takes great exception to the premeditated loss of life, to the separation of body and soul.
Destroying the connection between man and G-d:
G-d uses the same word, yakam, to describe what happens if we ourselves try to drive a wedge between man and G-d, by acting with keri (essentially denying that G-d is consequential in this world and in our lives). And so G-d says, [if you act with keri] I too will remain hostile to you: I in turn will smite you sevenfold for your sins. I will bring a sword against you to wreak vengeance for the covenant. (Lev. 26:24) (also used in D. 32:35, 41, 43)
If we act in a way to destroy our relationship with G-d (i.e. we kill others, or we ignore the covenant we have with G-d), then G-d can act against us just as he threatened to do against anyone who harmed Cain. Because our spiritual life and meaning is at least as important as our physical life and meaning!
Destroying the connection between man and wife: The Midianites sent their daughters to whore among the Jewish people. In that single act they tore apart marriages, and simultaneously undermined the relationship between the people and G-d. And G-d is furious about it, ordering punitive vengeance, yakam, on the Midianites.
“Avenge the Israelite people on the Midianites; then you shall be gathered to your kin.” … Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Let troops be picked out from among you for a campaign, and let them fall upon Midian to wreak G-d’s vengeance on Midian. (N. 31:2-3)
Others went to war against the Jews – but Midian’s choice to seek to cleave the atom of society, the link between spouses, and between man and G-d, meant that the entire people no longer could be suffered to live.
Splitting those things that are supposed to cleave together, body/soul, husband/wife or man/G-d, releases destructive energy that damages any good society.
The above deals with G-d’s vengeance. But what about us? Are we allowed to act with punitive results? Well… yes and no.
Famously: You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against members of your people; Love your fellow as yourself: I am G-d. (Lev. 19:18)
Note that this is not a blanket admonition for us not to take vengeance! The text qualifies the injunction to those who are “of your people”. The actual Hebrew is bnei amecha, which is an interesting choice of phrase – it could have been bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) or a number of other formulations. Bnei amecha is actually quite rare. In fact, in the entirety of the Torah, the words bnei and amecha only appear in the same verse four times in all!
It appears in this example (i.e. don’t be vengeful against the sons of your people). It appears in a verse about being vengeful – specifically against Midian, who interfered in the relationship between the people and G-d:
“Avenge (yakam) the Israelite people (bnei) on the Midianites; then you shall be gathered to your kin (amecha).”
And then the other two verses use the same root word, but, in a Torah pun, it means “with you” instead of “your people.” Here they are:
Leah purchases marital time with Jacob:
“Was it not enough for you to take away my husband, that you would also take my son’s (bnei) mandrakes?” Rachel replied, “I promise, he shall lie with you (imach) tonight, in return for your son’s mandrakes.”
And:
And [God] charged Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and resolute: for you shall bring the Children (bnei) of Israel into the land that I promised them on oath, and I will be with you (imach).”
Note the parallels with the concept of vengeance!!! They share the same core relationships: the holy combinations of husband/wife, and man/G-d.
But also see the consequence of the pun! “Do not take vengeance” is limited to those who are “sons of your people” or “those who are with you.” In other words: you may not take vengeance against those who remain inside the fold, those who do not seek to corrupt or destroy marital or divine relationships!
A person who commits murder, adultery or idolatry is, as the words are used in the text, no longer with you. And so we can (and probably should) be vengeful against such bad actors. Eradicating those who seek to break sacred bonds can indeed be an obligation. those who undermine Judaism have removed themselves from you – they have separated. And you CAN act punitively against those who seek to murder (or otherwise cleave body and soul), destroy Jewish marriage, or our holy relationship with G-d.
P.S. 7 is the number of G-d’s creation of, and dominance over, the world – the unnatural number that proves G-d’s existence. And so vengeance, punitive damage, comes because G-d is reminding us that He made us. We do not get to separate the combined body and soul that G-d forged.
P.P.S. keri appears in a tight cluster seven times in the Torah (26:21, 23, 24, 26:27, 26:28, 40, 41), and nowhere else in the entire document. The number seven corresponds to seven days, which could be understood as “all the time”, as in 24×7. It is tied to the punitive reaction of seven-fold as with Cain and against Jews who deny G-d’s existence or involvement.