Philosophy:Collective Punishment/2

Collective Punishment

Exegetical Approaches

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Only the Sinners are Punished

Hashem only punishes the deserving and does not collectively punish anyone for someone else's crime.

Sources:Bavli SanhedrinSanhedrin 108aAbout the Bavli, Bereshit Rabbah28:8About Bereshit Rabbah, TanchumaNoach 5Korach 7About the Tanchuma, Tanchuma (Buber)Noach 18About the Tanchuma, RashiBereshit 6:7Bereshit 6:12Bereshit 19:4Shemot 12:29Shemot 32:35Bemidbar 16:22About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki,

Why is it justified?

Individual providence?

Flood

Sedom

Plague of first-borns

Sin of golden calf and spies

Achan and death of the 37

Plague in time of David

Slightly Guilty also Punished

When Hashem inflicts punishment, those who are totally innocent are never included.  However, individuals who are guilty by association, or culpable to even a small degree, might be included in the punishment of a worse sinner.

Sources:Bavli ShabbatShabbat 54b-55aAbout the Bavli, Radak, Rif on Yehoshua, Abarbanel on Korach

Even the Innocent Punished

Sometimes Hashem collectively punishes the entire group and the innocent suffer together with the guilty.

Sources:R. Saadia Gaon, Ralbag, Abarbanel, Malbim, Netziv

Why is this justified?

Individual providence?

Majority vs. minority of sinners?

Collective salvation?

Can humans also collectively punish?