Manifold Punishment/2

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Manifold Punishment

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Punished More than Deserved

Sometimes, people are punished more severely than their sins call for. This position subdivides in how it explains why this is justified:

Natural Order

Since this world is run via natural order, it is possible that the nation might receive more than its proper share of retribution.

Divine providence vs. natural order – This approach might take one of two positions on Divine Providence:
  • Natural order – Hashem rarely intervenes to disrupt the natural running of the world, preferring to let nature takes its course.  As such, it is possible to suffer from the vicissitudes of chance.  Thus, for example, when Hashem punishes the nation by giving them into the hands of their enemies, He leaves these nations free reign to act as they wish, sometimes resulting in their inflicting more suffering on Israel than deserved.
  • Intentional hiding of face – Alternatively, it is possible that normally the world is run via active Divine providence, but that, at times, as part of Israel's punishment, Hashem intentionally takes a step back and leaves the world to chance. This is the exact context of the verses in Vayikra, where Hashem tells the nation, "וְאִם תֵּלְכוּ עִמִּי קֶרִי... וְהָלַכְתִּי אַף אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בְּקֶרִי".‎ Keli Yekar explains that if the people don't recognize Hashem's providence but assume that what occurs to them is the product of chance, Hashem will punish them accordingly, and actually leave them to such chance.1
Punishment in this world or the next? These sources might take one of two positions on the workings of the World to Come, in line with the positions above:
  • According to those who say that this world is generally run by nature, full justice is only meted out in the World to Come.  At that point, anyone who suffered excessively in this world is compensated.2
  • According to the approach that due to the nation's sins Hashem sometimes hides His face, it is possible that the resulting afflictions are not compensated for in the Next World at all.  Since Hashem only allows nature to take over as measure for measure punishment for a lack of belief in Divine providence, it might be just that the nation suffer the consequences, even if it they are afflicted out of proportion to their crimes.
"אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי קָצַפְתִּי מְּעָט וְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ לְרָעָה" – This verse in Zecharya describes a reality in which other nations might punish Israel more than Hashem would have wanted, supporting the idea that Hashem does not always intervene to prevent undue punishment. Other Biblical passages might express similar ideas:
  • Yeshayahu 10:5-11 suggests that Assyria attacked Israel beyond what Hashem desired. While Hashem sent him only "to take spoils" he was intent on destruction.3
  • Egyptian bondage – Several sources4 explain that the Egyptians were punished for their treatment of the Israelites, despite their fulfilling a Divine command, because they went beyond the decree of enslavement and also attempted to exterminate the people.
נתנה רשות למחבל –  A similar idea is expressed in this phrase. Once Hashem unleashes His messengers to destroy, they might be unlimited, leading to destruction of righteous and wicked alike.5
"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – According to R. Shelomo, Yeshayahu is suggesting that the people were punished double what Hashem had intended by their oppressors. Once they were given into the hands of their enemies, they were left to the caprice of their captors. It is possible that the verse nonetheless, states that the people were punished "מִיַּד י"י", because Hashem began the process, even if others completed it.

Vicarious Punishment of Children

Hashem's system of justice allows for the vicarious (or collective) punishment of children for their parent's sins, resulting in undue suffering of the descendant.

Punishment Less Harsh than Appears

The verses' description of the punishment makes it sound worse than it really is.  As such, the nation did not really suffer more than deserved.

"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – Though these sources agree that in reality the people did not suffer as much as the verse suggests, they differ in how they explain why the prophet makes it sound as if they did:
  • Exaggeration as comfort – According to most of these sources,6 when comforting another, it is natural to exaggerate the afflictions that the person suffered.7 Thus, Hashem, too, intentionally overstated the people's suffering so as to better comfort them.
  • Relative punishment – Ibn Ezra, in contrast, suggests that the prophet was simply speaking in relative terms.  Yeshayahu told the people that they received double the punishment that other nations received (presumably because they sinned more than others).8
"וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" – The same general possibilities mentioned above can be applied to the verse in Vayikra as well.
  • Exaggeration as threat – Hashem intentionally exaggerated when speaking of the punishment the people were to receive, so as to frighten them into obedience.
  • Relative punishment– According to Akeidat Yitzchak, the punishment mentioned is relative.  Hashem told the nation that if they did not improve their ways, they would be punished seven times the amount they had been punished previously.
"Seven" and "Double": Literal or figurative? According to this position these terms can be understood either literally or to mean "a lot".
Biblical parallels

Sin More Egregious than Appears

The sin for which the nation is punished is actually more severe than the verses makes it appear.  As such, the harsh punishment described is justified.

"וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" – Most of these sources claim that the seven-fold punishment is measure for measure punishment for the nation's seven-fold transgression.9 As such, there is a one to one correspondence between sin and punishment, not seven to one.10
"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – Radak11 explains that the "double punishment" refers to the two exiles, each a punishment for its own set of sins. The nation's many crimes (כׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ) merited them two stints in exile.  According to this reading, the prophecy of Yeshayahu speaks of Messianic times. Yeshayahu comforts the nation by telling them that since they have already suffered through two exilic periods, their punishment is finally complete, and the final redemption is at hand.
"Seven" and "Double": Literal or figurative? These sources read each of the terms literally, suggesting that Hashem speaks of either seven or two punishments (and not simply "many" punishments), to match either seven or two sets of sins.
Who is punished? The commentaries on Vayikra understand the punishment to be inflicted on one generation, who has itself erred in multiple ways, while Radak on Yeshayahu assumes that the prophet is speaking of the nation's sins and retribution during two distinct generations.
Divine providence – This approach assumes that Hashem watches over the nation to punish it exactly as it deserves, and no more.  As these verses speak only on the national level, however, it is not clear if these sources would say the same regarding individual providence.
World to Come – The existence of a World to Come does not preclude justice in this world; thus Hashem never punishes Israel unduly.  It is also possible that the World to Come is reserved for individual justice, while all justice pertaining to the nation as a whole must be meted out already in this world.