Manifold Punishment/1/he
"שבע על חטאתיכם"
הקדמה
Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?
נראה כי הצדק מכתיב כי אנשים לעולם לא צריכים לקבל עונש גדול יותר מהמגיע להם. As such, several verses which appear to suggest that, at times, the nation actually gets more than its fair share of retribution are somewhat disturbing. For instance, in the rebuke of Vayikra 26, Hashem repeats four times:1
וְאִם עַד אֵלֶּה לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם.
A simple understanding of this verse suggests that Hashem is warning the nation that if they continue to sin, they will get a seven-fold punishment, i.e. seven times what their crimes warrant.
In Yeshayahu 40, we similarly read:
(א) נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. (ב) דַּבְּרוּ עַל לֵב יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְקִרְאוּ אֵלֶיהָ כִּי מָלְאָה צְבָאָהּ כִּי נִרְצָה עֲוֺנָהּ כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ.
The prophet comforts the nation, telling them that their punishment is finally complete, for they have already paid double for their iniquities. Why, though would Hashem have made Israel suffer disproportionately for her sins? Is that not unjust?
The Context
The two verses discussed above have very different contexts. Vayikra 26 is replete with rebuke and warnings for disobedience, while Yeshayahu 40 is a prophecy of comfort. The former constitutes a threat of potential punishment, while the latter speaks of punishment already received. Though neither chapter is explicit regarding the specific sins which will merit / merited the manifold punishment, Vayikra speaks of general disobedience and repeat offenses, and alludes to the non-observance of the Sabbatical year laws. Yeshayahu, in contrast, is totally silent on the issue.2 Can the varying contexts of the verses shed any light on the theological question raised above? Is manifold punishment limited to specific circumstances or to certain crimes (perhaps those of a repeat offender, as might be gleaned from Vayikra)?
Related Philosophical Issues
The problem of manifold punishment is related to several other philosophical issues:
- Divine providence – To what extent is the world run by natural order and to what extent via Divine providence? How often will Hashem actively intervene and perform miracles to either protect or punish?
- Retribution and the World to Come – What is the nature and purpose of the next world? Is it meant only for the soul, or for the body as well? Do individuals get their just desserts in this world or only in the next? Is there a difference between national and individual recompense?
- "צדק ורע לו" – How does the case of disproportionate punishment relate to the well known problem of "צדיק ורע לו"? While the latter is normally discussed in reference to individual suffering, our verses speak about the punishment of the collective of Israel. How significant is this distinction? Should it matter whether it is one person or the whole nation which is suffering unduly?
- Collective and vicarious punishment – Instances of collective punishment appear to abound in Tanakh,3 suggesting that they are a central part of Hashem's mode of justice. Hashem further says of Himself that he is "פֹּקֵד עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים", implying that such vicarious punishment is just. Is our case of manifold punishment parallel to either of these phenomena? Can any of the approaches taken to these issues be applied to our question?
