Manifold Punishment/2
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Manifold Punishment
Exegetical Approaches
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 that the nation might suffer at the hands of others, or nature, unrelated to their particular merits.
- Intentional hiding of face – Alternatively, though Hashem might normally play an active role and intervene to ensure that each person gets their just due, at times as part of our punishment, He 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".
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 deferred to the World to Come. At that point, any excessive suffering that occurred due to chance in this world is compensated for.
- According to the approach that this world is generally run via Divine providence, but due to sins Hashem sometimes hides His face, it is possible that such suffering is not compensated for in the Next World, as the punishment itself was
"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ"
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.
Sources:perhaps Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, R. Eliezer of Beaugency, Akeidat Yitzchak, Abarbanel, Shadal, Malbim
"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,1 when comforting another, it is natural to exaggerate the afflictions that the person suffered.2 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).3
"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.
Sources:Sifra Vayikra, Eikhah Rabbah, Rashi, R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, Radak, Paneach Raza, Abarbanel #2, Or HaChayyim
"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.4 As such, there is a one to one correspondence between sin and punishment, not seven to one.5
"כִּי לָקְחָה מִיַּד י"י כִּפְלַיִם בְּכׇל חַטֹּאתֶיהָ" – Radak6 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 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.
