Difference between revisions of "Philosophy:Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו/2"
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<point><b>Hashem's providence</b> – According to this approach, Hashem provides on a national level, and not for each individual person.</point> | <point><b>Hashem's providence</b> – According to this approach, Hashem provides on a national level, and not for each individual person.</point> | ||
<point><b>Why does Hashem do this?</b><ul> | <point><b>Why does Hashem do this?</b><ul> | ||
− | <li><b>Natural order</b> – | + | <li><b>Natural order</b> – Hashem does not purposely wrong people, rather he lets the world act on its own, and therefore some people in this world do not deserve what happens to them.</li> |
<li><b>Test</b> – R. Saadia explains Hashem's purpose to be a test in order to publicize the commitment of the righteous man even with all the troubles he goes through, and seeing the unworthy retribution the wrongdoer received.  Hashem is testing the righteous man to see if he will continue to follow the right path even though he is compensated wrongly.  He knows they will tolerate the punishment they don't deserve, and later on in their life or in the world to come, He gives them an abundance of good. </li> | <li><b>Test</b> – R. Saadia explains Hashem's purpose to be a test in order to publicize the commitment of the righteous man even with all the troubles he goes through, and seeing the unworthy retribution the wrongdoer received.  Hashem is testing the righteous man to see if he will continue to follow the right path even though he is compensated wrongly.  He knows they will tolerate the punishment they don't deserve, and later on in their life or in the world to come, He gives them an abundance of good. </li> | ||
<li>Hashem is using the wicked man for a different purpose before he punishes him, such as to fight with a different nation.</li> | <li>Hashem is using the wicked man for a different purpose before he punishes him, such as to fight with a different nation.</li> | ||
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</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Not All Receive Just Compensation | <category>Not All Receive Just Compensation | ||
− | <p>People who do not merit Divine providence might not get | + | <p>People who do not merit Divine providence might not get just compensation.  As their lives are ruled by nature, sometimes rewards or punishments are given to the undeserving.</p> |
<mekorot>Ralbag?</mekorot> | <mekorot>Ralbag?</mekorot> | ||
</category> | </category> |
Version as of 00:38, 8 August 2017
Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו
Exegetical Approaches
Just Compensation in This World
Everyone gets their appropriate due in this world. Though it sometimes seems as if innocent people are being punished or wicked people are being rewarded, this is only because outsiders often misevaluate the righteousness of a person, or misunderstand the nature of their compensation.
Misperception of Righteousness
A so-called wicked or righteous person might not always be what they seem. Thus, wrong-doers might have merits that justify their rewards, while the righteous might have committed sins which justify their punishment.
- Accidental wrongdoing – According to Ramban, suffering often befalls righteous people for their accidental misdeeds. These are not severe enough to require punishment in the World to Come, but nonetheless need to be atoned. He suggests that in the time of the Mikdash a sin offering would have sufficed, but since its destruction, suffering serves as a replacement.
- Sin of omission – R. Bachya suggests that the sin might be one of omission, such as refraining from rebuking those who deserve punishment and abetting them to repent.
- Sins in secret – Other sins might be done behind closed doors, or involve thoughts rather than actions.
- Most of these sources suggest that these ultimate rewards/punishments will come only in the World to Come, bringing this approach very close to position #2 below.
- One could say, however, that despite appearances, everyone does get their just due. Since Hashem does not punish / reward immediately, it is sometimes hard to see how every deed is paid for measure for measure, but over one's lifetime things do even out. Thus, for example, R. Saadia4 suggests that at times Hashem holds off punishment knowing that a person is to repent,5 or conversely, so as to compound the sinner's punishment later.6
Misperception of Retribution
What appears to be a reward or a punishment might actually be the opposite. As such, what is construed as unjust retribution is really not so.
- Sometimes Hashem causes the righteous to suffer a little in order to avoid him from suffering a lot.
- Sometimes Hashem keeps the wicked person alive in order for them to witness an even worse punishment than they would have witnessed.
- In some cases, the good is a cause for bad, and the whole purpose really is the punishment. For example by Paroh, Hashem did not punish him in order so he will experience the splitting of the sea which was a harsher punishment than he would have received.
Just Compensation in the World to Come
People do not get their just compensation in this world. It is only in the World to Come that Hashem gives everyone their appropriate due.
- Natural order – Hashem does not purposely wrong people, rather he lets the world act on its own, and therefore some people in this world do not deserve what happens to them.
- Test – R. Saadia explains Hashem's purpose to be a test in order to publicize the commitment of the righteous man even with all the troubles he goes through, and seeing the unworthy retribution the wrongdoer received. Hashem is testing the righteous man to see if he will continue to follow the right path even though he is compensated wrongly. He knows they will tolerate the punishment they don't deserve, and later on in their life or in the world to come, He gives them an abundance of good.
- Hashem is using the wicked man for a different purpose before he punishes him, such as to fight with a different nation.
- The righteous man is suffering over the sins of his generation, or of his ancestors, and not his own sins.
Not All Receive Just Compensation
People who do not merit Divine providence might not get just compensation. As their lives are ruled by nature, sometimes rewards or punishments are given to the undeserving.