Philosophy:Theodicy – צדיק ורע לו/2
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 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.
- 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, Ramban posits that suffering might result from accidental misdeeds of which the righteous themselves might not even be cognizant. Chovot HaLevavot 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 – Ralbag4 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.5 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.
- 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.
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.
- Physical goods are not true rewards – Rambam 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.9 Thus, an outsider might consider a צדיק who lives in poverty to be suffering, when in fact that individual is on such a spiritual level that they simply do not regard physical suffering as suffering at all.
- Missing full picture – Most other commentators suggest, instead, that compensation is often misconstrued since people tend to only see part of a person's retribution:
- Delayed punishment / reward – The illusion of injustice might be caused by the fact that Hashem does not always give recompense immediately after one commits a sin or does a good deed,10 making it difficult to see how every action is paid for measure for measure11 . 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.12
- Unknown goal of retribution – A person might receive what appears to be a reprieve in punishment, or even a reward, but in reality the point is to ultimately cause more damage later. For example, R. Saadia claims that Paroh did not die at the beginning of the cycle of plagues to ensure that he suffer through all and eventually drown in the sea. Similarly, the wicked might get a small blessing, only so as to prevent them from receiving a much greater undeserved reward.13 The inverse is also true; the righteous sometimes suffer slight hardships to prevent bigger catastrophes,14 or enable greater rewards.15
- Only external compensation apparent – Often a person's emotional well being is less apparent to an outsider than his physical rewards, leading to the misconception that "רשע וטוב לו" while in fact the individual is suffering 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".16
- 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. As evidence he points to Iyyov's words, "לְשֵׁמַע אֹזֶן שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְעַתָּה עֵינִי רָאָתְךָ עַל כֵּן אֶמְאַס וְנִחַמְתִּי עַל עָפָר וָאֵפֶר".
- 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).17
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. The position subdivides regarding the reason why true compensation is delayed:
General Providence and Natural Order
Since the world is usually run via natural order, at times an individual receives undeserved retribution.
Individual Providence and 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. The position subdivides regarding the reason why true compensation is delayed:
- Natural order – Ralbag, Ran, R. Crescas and Abarbanel all point out that this world is generally run via natural law,30 and not individual Divine providence.31 Thus, in this world, individuals might be harmed by, or benefit from, the vicissitudes of nature unrelated to their particular merits.32 Only a person who is so righteous that he merits Divine intervention to overturn nature will be protected from undeserved chance disasters.
- Part of the collective – A corollary of the above is the idea that since in this world, general rather than individual providence takes precedence, individuals might share the fate of the many, even if undeserving. Thus, if the majority of the nation deserves punishment, the few righteous individuals within will suffer as well.33
- Afflictions of love –
- 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.