Manifold Punishment/2

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.

Sources:Keli YekarVayikra 26:18About R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz, ר׳ שלמה מאריגיcited by Shadal Yeshayahu 40:2About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto,

"וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" – Keli Yekar explains this verse literally.  Hashem threatens the people that if they continue to sin they will pay seven-fold for their crimes, for Hashem will leave them to chance, which has no mercy.

"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – According to the opinion brought by Shadal, this verse, too, should be understood literally.  The people did, in fact, receive double the punishment due to them. Hashem had given them into the hands of their enemies, who proceeded to afflict Israel as they wished, resulting in their inflicting more suffering on the nation than deserved.

Why is this just: Divine providence vs. natural order – This approach justifies the disproportionate punishment by viewing it as part of the natural order by which the world is run. However, the sources disagree greatly regarding whether natural order is the norm or an exception:

• Natural order predominant – Hashem rarely intervenes to disrupt the natural running of the world, preferring to let nature takes its course.  As such, it is often possible to suffer from the vicissitudes of chance and human decisions. In addition, once Hashem unleashes His messengers to destroy, they are not limited and undiscerning (נתנה רשות למחבל), leading to the possibility that one might receive unwarranted punishment.¹
• Divine providence predominant – Keli Yekar, in contrast, assumes that normally the world is run via active Divine providence.  Hashem only leaves the world to chance as a punishment for sins.  This is the exact context in which the manifold punishment in Vayikra is mentioned. Hashem's threatens the nation: "וְאִם תֵּלְכוּ עִמִּי קֶרִי... וְהָלַכְתִּי אַף אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בְּקֶרִי", telling them that if they don't recognize Hashem's providence, but rather assume that what occurs to them is the product of chance,² Hashem will punish them accordingly, deliberately leaving their fate to such chance.³

"וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם גַּם אָנִי" / "מִיַּד י"י " – Though this position assumes that the excessive suffering is actually inflicted by humans or natural forces, the verses nonetheless attribute it to Hashem since He was the one who began the process.

Compensation in the World to Come? These sources might take one of two positions regarding the World to Come, in line with the different understandings of Divine providence above:

• Compensation – 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, so no injustice is committed.⁴
• No compensation – According to the approach that the world is generally run by Divine providence, full justice is meted out already in this world.  In a case where Hashem intentionally hides His face, it is possible that the resulting afflictions are not compensated for in the Next World at all.  A lack of belief in Divine providence justifies the removal of that providence, even if this results in being punished out of proportion to one's crimes.

"אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי קָצַפְתִּי מְּעָט וְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ לְרָעָה" – This verse in Zekharyah 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, and that sometimes the messengers chosen to inflict punishment go beyond their assignments.⁵  There are several examples of this throughout Tanakh:

• Egypt – The decision to not only enslave the Israelites but also kill all firstborns has been understood by several sources⁶ as going beyond Hashem's decree of "וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה".
• Assyria – Yeshayahu 10:5-11 suggests that though Assyria had been appointed Hashem's "rod of wrath" they attacked Israel beyond what Hashem desired. While Hashem sent Assyria "to take spoils," he was intent on destruction ("כִּי לְהַשְׁמִיד בִּלְבָבוֹ"), and as such merited his own punishment.⁷

Theodicy and collective punishment – The approach taken here has been used to explain other similar philosophical quandaries such as why the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper, or why collective punishment is justified. Rather than attempting to say that such phenomena don't exist, they are understood as the result of the natural order by which the world is run. For elaboration, see Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו and Collective Punishment.

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.

Sources:Rashi, R. Yosef KimchiYirmeyahu 16:18, RalbagYehoshua 7:1About R. Levi b. Gershom, AbarbanelYeshayahu 40:2About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel #3,

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.

Sources:Sifra Vayikra26:18About the Sifra Vayikra, Eikhah RabbahIntroductionAbout Eikhah Rabbah, RashiVayikra 26:18About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorVayikra 26:18About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RadakYeshayahu 40:2About R. David Kimchi, Paneach RazaVayikra 26:18About R. Yitzchak b. Yehuda, AbarbanelYeshayahu 40:2About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel #2, Or HaChayyimVayikra 26:18About R. Chayyim b. Atar

"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.⁸ As such, there is a one to one correspondence between sin and punishment, not seven to one.⁹

"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – Radak¹⁰ 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.

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.

Sources:perhaps RashbamVayikra 26:18About R. Shemuel b. Meir, Ibn EzraVayikra 26:18Yeshayahu 40:2About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYeshayahu 40:2About R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Akeidat YitzchakTorah 37Torah 70Torah 88About R. Yitzchak Arama, AbarbanelYeshayahu 40:2About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, ShadalYeshayahu 40:2About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, MalbimYeshayahu Beur HaInyan 40:2About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

"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,¹¹ when comforting another, it is natural to exaggerate the afflictions that the person suffered.¹² Thus, Hashem, too, intentionally overstates the people's suffering so as to better comfort them.
• Relative punishment – Ibn Ezra,¹³ 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).

"וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" – The same general possibilities mentioned above can be applied to the verse in Vayikra:

• 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 (but in proportion to their crimes).
• Figurative language – It is also possible that the number seven is simply a way to express a large quantity. If so, Hashem is warning that the people will deserve a large punishment, not that they will get seven times their due. ¹⁴

Biblical parallels

Divine providence – This position assumes that the world is run via Divine providence, and that Hashem would never let the collective of Israel suffer if not warranted. It is possible, however, that individual providence works differently, and though the collective always gets its just due, individual Israelites do not.

Theodicy – The approach presented here to explain disproportionate punishment can be applied to the more general issue of "צדיק ורע לו". Though it might seem that a righteous person is receiving "רע,"  in reality what is perceived as suffering by the outsider is not in fact so.  For elaboration, see Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו.

¹ See Rashi who understands the command to the nation during the Plague of Firstborns: "וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר" in light of this phenomenon. Hashem tells the nation to stay indoors since once the "משחית" was given permission to destroy, it would not differentiate between Egyptian and Isarelite unless they stayed put in their marked homes.

² According to Keli Yekar, the word "קֶרִי"  is related to the word "מקרה," happenstance.

³ It is in such periods that nature takes over, allowing for "seven-fold" punishments.

⁴ One might still question why it is just to defer proper reward rather than receive it immediately.

⁵ Yeshayahu 10:5-11 similarly suggests that Assyria attacked Israel beyond what Hashem desired. The prophet declares that while Hashem sent him only "to take spoils" he was intent on destruction.  See also RadakYeshayahu 52:4About R. David Kimchi on Yeshayahu 52:4 who explains the phrase, "וְאַשּׁוּר בְּאֶפֶס עֲשָׁקוֹ" in like fashion to mean that Assyria afflicted Israel unjustly.  Though Hashem had appointed Assyria to be Hashem's "rod of wrath", since they went beyond Hashem's intentions, they merited punishment.  The Egyptians' killing of Israelite boys might be a third example of Hashem's vehicles of punishment going beyond their assigned task.

⁶ See Shemot Rabbah, RadakBereshit 15:14About R. David Kimchi, and the Raavad who explain use this fact to justify why the Egyptians deserved punishment if they were only fulfilling a Divine decree.  For elaboration, see Divine Plans and Egyptian Free Choice.

⁷ See RadakYeshayahu 52:4About R. David Kimchi on Yeshayahu 52:4 who explains the phrase, "וְאַשּׁוּר בְּאֶפֶס עֲשָׁקוֹ" similarly to mean that Assyria afflicted Israel in an unwarranted manner, and as such, despite her acting on Hashem's decree, she deserved retribution for her excessive actions.

⁸ See the lists brought by R. Yosef Bekhor ShorVayikra 26:18About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and Or HaChayyimVayikra 26:18About R. Chayyim b. Atar. Each points to the immediately preceding verses in Vayikra, which speak of various iniquities committed by the nations.

⁹ The phrase "וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" appears three times in Vayikra 26 (verses 18, 24 and 28) ) and one final time (verse 21) with a slight difference, "וְיָסַפְתִּי .עֲלֵיכֶם מַכָּה שֶׁבַע כְּחַטֹּאתֵיכֶם" This version of the phrase might support the idea that the punishment was measure for measure - seven times, just like your (seven) sins.

¹⁰ See also the second possibility raised by Abarbanel.

¹¹ See R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel, and Shadal.

¹² Abarbanel points out that an individual does not want to hear that they deserve their punishment, but rather that their suffering was more than their due. As evidence he points to Iyyov who was not comforted by the friends who told him that his suffering was just retribution for sins.

¹³ Malbim raises a third possibility – that the people received double the punishment but for half the time.  Thus, if they were supposed to suffer 50 lashes a day over 10 years, they instead received 100 a day over 5 years.  He compares this to the enslavement in Egypt.  Though the people were supposed to be in Egypt for 400 years, they were instead there for only 210 years, but under much harsher conditions.

¹⁴ Both Rashbam and Ibn Ezra point this out, but it is not clear if they do so in order to address the theological question of the justice of Hashem'blockWikiTextItalics's actions.