Does the rule in Pirkei Avot 3:2 apply to evil governments?

Question

In Avot 3:2, Rav Chanania says that we should pray for the welfare of the government. For, if it weren't for the fact that people fear the government (afraid of breaking the law), people would swallow up each other (there would be anarchy without laws.)

In a sense, fulfillment of this rule (praying for the government) is performed in many shuls on Shabbat morning in a special prayer for the welfare of the government, commonly recited after the Haftarah service.

While I know that there are various versions of this prayer, a common form of the prayer said in the U.S. is the first prayer listed here which is transliterated.

In it, there is a phrase:

hu yevarekh, ve-yishmor, ve-ya’azor, vi-romem, vi-gadel, vi-nasei lema’la et ha-nasi, ve-et mishneihu, ve-et kol sarei ha-aretz ha-zot.

Loose translation:

He shall bless, watch, assist, exalt, magnify and raise to prominence the president, vice president and all the officers of this country.

Should such phrasing or any similar prayer that implies blessings and protection of the government be recited when the government is evil and encourages murder or consistent human suffering? For example, if the government were similar to the Natzi regime or Jews lived in constant fear of going to shuls because of government prohibitions on such activities, does Rav Chanania's adage apply?

Answer 1

Rav Chanania lived during the time of the Roman Empire and it was referred to as "the Evil Empire". In spite of that, the point that he was making was that any government no matter how tyrannical would still be better than complete anarchy (as existed before the flood). Such a government would enforce rules to keep itself in power and not allow robbery murder and looting.

Another example is Czarist Russia which was evil but the Jews in that empire still prayed for the Czar. Of course they also prayed that the officials would learn the correct way of behaving and be moved to act properly.

Note Yirmiyahu 29:7

ז וְדִרְשׁוּ אֶת שְׁלוֹם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִגְלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ בַעֲדָהּ אֶל יְהֹוָה כִּי בִשְׁלוֹמָהּ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שָׁלוֹם:

7 And seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you and pray for it to the Lord, for in its peace you shall have peace.

Another point is that when they are actively attempting to kill us then they must be resisted and we must pray to Hashem to defeat them. However, that is not the circumstance that R' Chanania was speaking about.