Berurya, Rabbi Meir’s wife, spurred him to understand that it is not the sinners who should be eliminated from the world, but rather sin itself.

There were hooligans in Rabbi Meir’s neighborhood who were causing him a great deal of anguish. Rabbi Meir would pray for God to have mercy on them, that they should die. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? Is it because it is written: “May sinners [hata’im] be removed [from the earth]” (Psalms 104:35)? But is it written, “May sinners [hotim] be removed”? Rather, hata’im is written. Furthermore, go to the end of the verse: “And may the wicked be no more.” This is apparently superfluous, as once the sinners are removed, then of course the wicked will be no more. Rather, the beginning of the verse is referring to sins, not sinners, and therefore pray for God to have mercy on them, that they should repent, and then “the wicked will be no more.” Rabbi Meir agreed, and prayed for God to have mercy on them, and they repented. (Berakhot 10a)