Philosophy:Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו/2

Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

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 person with a reputation for wickedness or righteousness 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.

Sources:Bavli BerakhotBerakhot 7aBerakhot 7bAbout the Bavli, 1st opinion in RadakHoshea 14:10About R. David Kimchi,  rejected opinion in RalbagMilchamot HaShem 4:2Milchamot HaShem 4:5Milchamot HaShem 4:6Milchamot HaShem 4:6About R. Levi b. Gershom,¹

The terms צדיק and רשע – R. SaadiaHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 5:2-3About R. Saadia Gaon points out that people are viewed as good or evil based on the majority of their actions.  Thus a "צדיק" might still have sinned, and a "רשע" might have done some good.²

Why is righteousness / wickedness misperceived? People misevaluate others for several reasons:

• Unaware of deeds – As people are not privy to all the actions of others, they are not always aware of their faults or merits.  Thus, RambanTorat HaAdam Shaar HaGemulAbout R. Moshe b. Nachman posits that suffering might result from accidental misdeeds of which the righteous themselves might not even be cognizant. Chovot HaLevavot4:3About R. Bachya ibn Pakuda adds that the sins might be ones of omission,³ not apparent to outsiders.  In addition many deeds (both positive and negative) are done in private, or involve thoughts rather than actions.
• Ignore human potential – Ralbag suggests that people do not always take an individual's potential into account when evaluating their deeds.  If a person is righteous but had the potential to do significantly more than he did, he is not as deserving as he seems.⁴ Similarly, if a wicked person is born without a certain capacity for good, he should not be held culpable when he does not have many good deeds to his name. 

Verses in Torah which promise retribution or reward – These verses refer to recompense in this world, rather than the World to Come.  This is supported by the fact that most of the verses relate to physical rewards such as rain, crops, victory over enemies and the like. This fits with this approach, which agrees that people are blessed or cursed in their lifetime, just as the verses promise.

Hashem's providence: individual or collective – According to this approach, there is not only collective, but also individual providence in this world. This is supported by the various verses which speak of individual retribution such as Devarim's promise that a "man or woman" who turns away from Hashem will be cursed.

World to Come – The existence of a World to Come does not preclude justice in this world.  Since one's actions were done in the physical world, they are requited there as well.

Afflictions of love – This approach could agree with Ramban that "afflictions of love", too, come to atone for sins.  He suggests that they come to erase inadvertent sins and serve to cleanse the person more than punish him. Such sins are not severe enough to require punishment in the World to Come, but nonetheless need to be atoned. In the time of the Mikdash a sin offering would have sufficed, but since its destruction, suffering serves as a replacement.

Lack of immediate punishment or reward – The illusion of injustice is often furthered by the fact that Hashem does not always give recompense immediately after one commits a sin or does a good deed.⁵  The delay makes it harder to see how every action is paid for measure for measure.  Nonetheless, if one were to look at an individual's retribution over the span of a lifetime, one would see that it matches his deeds.

The Suffering of Iyyov – This approach matches that of Elifaz and the other friends in Sefer Iyyov, who try to convince Iyyov that his afflictions must be punishment for sin. However, the opening of the book suggests that Iyyov was free of sin, and even if he had committed minor offenses it is hard to see how they could justify the severity of his suffering. This position might respond that Iyyov's questioning of Hashem after his suffering proved his lack of righteousness.  Nonetheless, the fact that HAshem rebukes Iyyov's friends suggests that their words to Iyyov misguided.

Exile and enslavement in Egypt – According to this approach, both the exile and enslavement were punishment for sins of the nation.  [See Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage for discussion of the possible sins that were committed.] Each individual was worked more or less, in accordance with their deeds.

Prophetic complaints – If there really is no such thing as "צדיק ורע לו", why is it that the prophets complain about the phenomenon? 

• As prophets are human, they are not always privy to man's every action and might make assumptions about righteousness, just like laymen, leading them to question Hashem's justice.
• Ramban explains that even though the prophets intellectually knew that there is ultimate justice, in the moment of suffering, they too complained about their fate.⁶

Collective punishment – According to this approach, there is no collective punishment, but rather each person is punished only for their own sins. When the collective is punished in Tanakh, that is because they are really all culpable, either for the same sin, or for individual crimes of their own.  For elaboration, see Collective Punishment.

"פֹּקֵד עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים"

Divine Justice

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.

Sources:rejected opinion in RalbagMilchamot HaShem 4:5Milchamot HaShem 4:6About R. Levi b. Gershom, one possibility in ShadalShemot 20:4About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto,⁷

Why is compensation misperceived?

• Missing full picture – Often compensation is misconstrued since we do not see the full picture.  A couple of examples follow:
• Delayed punishment / reward –
• The illusion of injustice is often caused by the fact that Hashem does not always give recompense immediately after one commits a sin or does a good deed, making it difficult to see how every action is paid for measure for measure. Shadal points out, however, that if one were to look at an individual's retribution over the span of a lifetime, one would see that it matches his deeds.⁸
• Moreover, a delay in punishment might be orchestrated intentionally so as to cause worse suffering later.  Thus, R. Saadia claims that Paroh did not die immediately at the beginning of the cycle of plagues, to ensure that he suffer through all and eventually drown in the sea. Conversely, the short term suffering of a righteous person might be intended to bring him greater reward afterwards. Thus, a person might lose a job, only so that he will be available to accept a much better work opportunity later.
• Preventing a greater evil/ good – At times a small hardship befalls the righteous in order to avert an even bigger catastrophe, be it physical or spiritual in nature.⁹  Similarly, a wicked person might get what seems to be a blessing only to find out that it prevented him from receiving a much greater undeserved reward.¹⁰
• External vs. internal well being – At times a person enjoy physical rewards, but these ultimately cause him emotional turmoil.  Thus, R"Y Albo suggests that though people might envy the wealthy, having much property is more of a curse than a reward, as Chazal say, "מרבה נכסים מרבה דאגה".

• Real rewards are spiritual in nature – RambamMoreh Nevukhim 3:23About R. Moshe b. Maimon suggests that people assume that happiness comes from physical good (such as health, children and wealth), when in reality these pale in comparison to the ultimate good: knowledge of Hashem.  A righteous person who has attained an elevated spiritual level and closeness to Hashem will simply not regard physical suffering as suffering at all.¹¹

Verses in Torah which promise retribution or reward – These verses refer to recompense in this world, and are meted out during a person's lifetime  as they deserve.  As most of the verses speak of physical good, the Rambam's claim that true reward is intellectual in nature is somewhat difficult.

Hashem's providence: individual or collective? According to this approach, there is both individual and collective providence in this world.

World to Come – Hashem does not wait for the World to Come to mete out retribution, but punishes and rewards where the deeds were done.

Prophetic complaints – R. ChananelShemot 5:22About R. Bachya b. Asher¹² suggests that when both Moshe and Yirmeyahu question Hashem regarding why the righteous continue to suffer while the wicked prosper,¹³ Hashem reassures them that everyone will get their just compensation in the near future, and that the present delay will allow for a doubling of both the punishment and reward.¹⁴

The suffering of Iyyov

• Rambam explains that once Iyyov attained a strong understanding of Hashem he himself acknowledged that true happiness is not related to physical good, but to recognition of God. As such, any physical harm that had come to him was insignificant.¹⁵
• This position might also explain that the book ends with Iyyov not only regaining all he lost, but being rewarded with more than he had at the outset.  This proves that over one's lifetime Hashem compensates for any suffering, evening out the score before death. However one might question if the anguish caused by loss is really undone when that loss is replaced (even if it is replaced by something more valuable).¹⁶

Exile and enslavement in Egypt – This position could suggest that the exile and bondage actually had many hidden benefits: preventing assimilation, instilling empathy, fostering unity and erasing class distinctions.¹⁷

Divine justice

Afflictions of love

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.

Sources:Targum OnkelosDevarim 7:10About Targum Onkelos, Sifre Devarim11:26About Sifre Devarim, YerushalmiChagigah 2:1About the Yerushalmi, BavliShabbat 30bTaanit 11aKiddushin 39bKiddushin 40bChulin 142aAbout the Bavli, Targum Pseudo-JonathanDevarim 7:10About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, R. Saadia GaonHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 5:2-3About R. Saadia Gaon,¹⁸ Chovot HaLevavot4:3About R. Bachya ibn Pakuda, RashiDevarim 32:4Berakhot 5aAbout R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Kuzari3:196:1About R. Yehuda HaLevi, RadakYechezkel 18:6Hoshea 14:10About R. David Kimchi, RanDerashot HaRan 8About R. Nissim Gerondi, Sefer HaIkkarim4:74:124:13About R. Yosef Albo, AbarbanelDevarim 4:15-24Devarim 32:1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel,¹⁹

צדיק ורע לו – The righteous man is suffering in this world unjustly, so in the world to come he will get an abundance of good.

רשע וטוב לו – The wicked man being part of a nation who is worthy of good, receives good as well, even though he does not deserve it.

Moral justification – In the world to come, Hashem will give the real reward to the righteous and the real punishment to the wicked.

Hashem's providence – According to this approach, Hashem provides on a national level, and not for each individual person.

Why does Hashem do this?

• 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.

Iyyov – R. Saadia understands Iyyov's suffering to be a test,²⁰ and as we read at the end of the book, Iyyov got an abundance of good at the end of his life.²¹

Purposes of the Egyptian bondage – This approach can understand the Egyptian bondage to have an educative or formative purpose rather than being a punishment for a sin.

"פֹּקֵד עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים"

World to come – This approach is based heavily on the idea of retribution being given in the world to come, however, the whole concept of the world to come is not explicated in the Torah at all.²²

Afflictions of love – This approach understands that Hashem sometimes afflicts out of love to the person in order to multiply their reward, and not as a punishment over a sin.

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.

Sources:Ralbag?

¹ Other commentators, including R. Saadia GaonHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 5:2-3HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 8:2HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 9:1About R. Saadia Gaon, Chovot HaLevavot4:3About R. Bachya ibn Pakuda, RambanTorat HaAdam Shaar HaGemulDevarim 11:13About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. Chasdai CrescasOr Hashem 2:2:2Or Hashem 2:2:4Or Hashem 2:2:4About R. Chasdai Crescas, and Sefer HaIkkarim4:74:124:13About R. Yosef Albo also mention this, but only as a partial explanation for the phenomenon.

² See also Bavli Berakhot which differentiates between the "totally righteous / wicked" and those who are only partially righteous or wicked.

³ As an example he points  to someone who did not rebuke those who deserve punishment and helping them to repent.

⁴ This fits with the idea that Hashem is extremely stringent with the righteous, punishing them harshly for even minor sins ( "ה' מדקדק עם חסידיו כחוט השערה").  According to Ralbag, since these individuals are extremely capable, the expectations are much higher.  A small misdemeanor for them is equivalent to a major crime for another.

⁵ R. Saadia suggests that at times Hashem holds off punishment knowing that a person is to repent, as was the case with Menashe the King of Israel.  Conversely, Hashem might do so in order to compound the sinner's punishment later.  As an example, R. Saadia points to Paroh's surviving the plagues so that he could endure all of them and eventually drown in the Sea.

⁶ The Bavli already notes that Chavakkuk is asking Hashem about the evil swallowing relatively righteous people.  However the nation, was not even near to being perfect, and Chavakkuk was not doubting Hashem's justice.

⁷ Other commentators such as RambamMoreh Nevukhim 3:23About R. Moshe b. Maimon, R. Chasdai CrescasOr Hashem 2:2:2Or Hashem 2:2:4Or Hashem 2:2:4About R. Chasdai Crescas and R. Yosef Albo 4:74:124:13About R. Yosef Alboalso bring this approach, but only as a partial explanation of the phenomenon.

⁸ Though a person might suffer a small hardship at some point, later they might receive a great blessing, evening things out.

⁹ Thus, a person whose car breaks down causing him to miss a plane and miss a great business opportunity might find out later that the plane crashed and his short term loss was actually a blessing in disguise.  On the spiritual plane, a hardship might cause someone to reflect on his deeds, preventing him from otherwise coming to sin.

¹⁰ See which tells of Eliyahu miraculously fixing the crumbling wall of a wicked individual's home so as to prevent the person from finding a valuable treasure that lay there, were he to fix it himself.

¹¹ See also R. Crescas who writes, "שהעונש והגמול האמתיים הוא הנפשיי"; however, it is likely that he is not referring to spiritual goods of this world, but rather to rewards of the soul in the next world.

¹² Cf. R. Saadia GaonHaEmunot VeHaDeiot 5:2-3HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 8:2HaEmunot VeHaDeiot 9:1About R. Saadia Gaon.

¹³ See

¹⁴ R. Chananel suggests that this is alluded to in Hashem's answer to Moshe, "(עַתָּה תִרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶעֱשֶׂה לְפַרְעֹה...). R. Saadia similarly suggests that Hashem's words in Yirmeyahu 12:7, "עָזַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי נָטַשְׁתִּי אֶת נַחֲלָתִי נָתַתִּי אֶת יְדִדוּת נַפְשִׁי בְּכַף אֹיְבֶיהָ" are a promise of harsh punishment in the future for those whom Yirmeyahu believed had been spared.

¹⁵ As evidence he points to Iyyov's words, "לְשֵׁמַע אֹזֶן שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְעַתָּה עֵינִי רָאָתְךָ עַל כֵּן אֶמְאַס וְנִחַמְתִּי עַל עָפָר וָאֵפֶר"

¹⁶ It is not at all clear, for example, that a new child can really compensate for one that has died.

¹⁷ See Purposes of the Egyptian Bondage for discussion of each of these possibilities.

¹⁸ R. Saadia Gaon suggests that the true compensation might occur later in life in this world, and does not explicitly say in the world to come.  He brings as examples Iyyov and Paroh who both received at the end of their life, a reward or a punishment, respectively.

¹⁹ It is not so clear from Abarbanel if a person might get an unworthy retribution in this world, or if a person only does not get all his worthy retribution (being punished only and not rewarded), similarly to the first opinion.

²⁰ That seems to be the simple reading of the verses, that the Satan wanted to test Iyyov to see if he will continue to worship Hashem even with all his kids dying and his possessions taken.

²¹ See Iyyov 42:12, "וַי"י בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַחֲרִית אִיּוֹב מֵרֵאשִׁתוֹ".

²² R. Chasdai Crescas accounts for this question by saying that the nation coming out of Eygpt knew about the world to come and there was no reason to explicate it.