Difference between revisions of "Reward and Punishment/2"

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<approaches>
 
<approaches>
  
<category name="Reward in Both Worlds">
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<category name="Reward in This Worlds">
Individual Recompense in Both Worlds
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Individual Recompense in This World
<p>Individuals are compensated for their actions both in this world and the next world.</p>
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<p>Individuals are compensated for their actions already in this world, and not only in the next world.</p>
 
<point><b>Total or partial compensation?</b></point>
 
<point><b>Total or partial compensation?</b></point>
 
</category>
 
</category>
<category name="Reward only in Next World">
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<category name="No Reward in this World">
Individual Reward only in Next World
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No Individual Reward in This World
<p>Individuals do not receive full retribution in this world, getting their just desserts only in the next world.&#160; The rewards of this world are meted out only to the collective.</p>
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<p>Individuals do not receive true retribution in this world, getting their just desserts only in the next world.</p>
<mekorot>R. Yaakov in <multilink><a href="BavliKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">Bavli Kiddushin</a><a href="BavliKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 39b</a><a href="BavliKiddushin40b" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 40b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink> (as understood by <multilink><a href="MaharshaChidusheiAggadotKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">R. Shemuel Eidels</a><a href="MaharshaChidusheiAggadotKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">Maharsha Chidushei Aggadot Kiddushin 39b</a><a href="R. Shemuel Eidels (Maharsha)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel Eidels (Maharsha)</a></multilink>),</mekorot>
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<mekorot>R. Yaakov in <multilink><a href="BavliKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">Bavli Kiddushin</a><a href="BavliKiddushin39b" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 39b</a><a href="BavliKiddushin40b" data-aht="source">Kiddushin 40b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>,</mekorot>
 
<point><b>Collective nature of Biblical blessings</b> – According to this approach, the Torah's promises of physical, this worldly retribution apply only on the national level. As the vast majority of these blessings and curses, such as war/peace, rain/drought, prosperity/famine,<fn>See, for instance,&#160;<a href="Shemot23-23-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:27</a> <a href="Vayikra26-3-12" data-aht="source">Vayikra 26:3-12</a> and the parallel curses in&#160; <a href="Vayikra26-14-21" data-aht="source">Vayikra 26:14-21</a>, <a href="Devarim7-11-16" data-aht="source">Devarim 7:16</a>, <a href="Devarim11-13-21" data-aht="source">Devarim 11:13-17</a>,&#160;<a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:1-13, 21-25, 49-63</a> and <a href="Devarim29-21-27" data-aht="source">Devarim 29:21-27</a>.</fn> are indeed collective in nature, this would seem to be the simple sense of the text. Some verses even explicitly mention the nation,<fn>See&#160;<a href="Devarim7-11-16" data-aht="source">Devarim 7:14</a> (בָּרוּךְ תִּהְיֶה מִכׇּל הָעַמִּים), <a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:9</a> (יְקִימְךָ י״י לוֹ לְעַם קָדוֹשׁ) and Devarim 28:52 (וְהֵצַר לְךָ בְּכׇל שְׁעָרֶיךָ בְּכׇל אַרְצְךָ).</fn> while others foretell how outsiders will view the fate of the country when the blessings / curses come to fruition,<fn>See <a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:10</a> or <a href="Devarim29-21-27" data-aht="source">Devarim 29:21-24</a>.</fn> further supporting the idea that Biblical rewards are aimed at the group rather than the individual.<fn>This explicit context of the collective suggests that surrounding verses which could theoretically be explained to refer only to the individual (such as promises of health or sickness, bareness or fruitfulness) refer to the group as well.&#160; Thus, though the blessings of&#160;<a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:3-8</a> are all worded in the singular ("בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה") and could easily refer only to individuals, the fact that they are followed by promises referring to the nation as a whole (and the promise that when others observe these blessings they will come to fear the nation) suggests that even the initial blessings of the list speak of the collective.&#160; Similarly, though <a href="Shemot23-23-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:26</a> refers to teh removal of barrenness, a promise which might be understood to refer to an individual, the verse's addition of "in your land" ("לֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה <b>בְּאַרְצֶךָ</b>") suggests that it is referring to a nation-wide phenomenon.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Collective nature of Biblical blessings</b> – According to this approach, the Torah's promises of physical, this worldly retribution apply only on the national level. As the vast majority of these blessings and curses, such as war/peace, rain/drought, prosperity/famine,<fn>See, for instance,&#160;<a href="Shemot23-23-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:27</a> <a href="Vayikra26-3-12" data-aht="source">Vayikra 26:3-12</a> and the parallel curses in&#160; <a href="Vayikra26-14-21" data-aht="source">Vayikra 26:14-21</a>, <a href="Devarim7-11-16" data-aht="source">Devarim 7:16</a>, <a href="Devarim11-13-21" data-aht="source">Devarim 11:13-17</a>,&#160;<a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:1-13, 21-25, 49-63</a> and <a href="Devarim29-21-27" data-aht="source">Devarim 29:21-27</a>.</fn> are indeed collective in nature, this would seem to be the simple sense of the text. Some verses even explicitly mention the nation,<fn>See&#160;<a href="Devarim7-11-16" data-aht="source">Devarim 7:14</a> (בָּרוּךְ תִּהְיֶה מִכׇּל הָעַמִּים), <a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:9</a> (יְקִימְךָ י״י לוֹ לְעַם קָדוֹשׁ) and Devarim 28:52 (וְהֵצַר לְךָ בְּכׇל שְׁעָרֶיךָ בְּכׇל אַרְצְךָ).</fn> while others foretell how outsiders will view the fate of the country when the blessings / curses come to fruition,<fn>See <a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:10</a> or <a href="Devarim29-21-27" data-aht="source">Devarim 29:21-24</a>.</fn> further supporting the idea that Biblical rewards are aimed at the group rather than the individual.<fn>This explicit context of the collective suggests that surrounding verses which could theoretically be explained to refer only to the individual (such as promises of health or sickness, bareness or fruitfulness) refer to the group as well.&#160; Thus, though the blessings of&#160;<a href="Devarim28-1-13" data-aht="source">Devarim 28:3-8</a> are all worded in the singular ("בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה") and could easily refer only to individuals, the fact that they are followed by promises referring to the nation as a whole (and the promise that when others observe these blessings they will come to fear the nation) suggests that even the initial blessings of the list speak of the collective.&#160; Similarly, though <a href="Shemot23-23-27" data-aht="source">Shemot 23:26</a> refers to teh removal of barrenness, a promise which might be understood to refer to an individual, the verse's addition of "in your land" ("לֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה <b>בְּאַרְצֶךָ</b>") suggests that it is referring to a nation-wide phenomenon.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Rewards for individual observance</b> – Certain verses speak of rewards for individual observance of specific mitzvot, such as honoring parents or sending away the mother bird. At first glance, and in contrast to this approach, these seem to imply that there is individual reward in this world as well.&#160; This position can explain such verses in one of two ways:<br/>
 
<point><b>Rewards for individual observance</b> – Certain verses speak of rewards for individual observance of specific mitzvot, such as honoring parents or sending away the mother bird. At first glance, and in contrast to this approach, these seem to imply that there is individual reward in this world as well.&#160; This position can explain such verses in one of two ways:<br/>
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</category>
 
</category>
 
<category>Changing Rewards
 
<category>Changing Rewards
<p>Hashem's modes of providence have changed over time.&#160; As the nation gradually moved from a miraculous to natural existence, Hashem's overt providence became covert. Immediate reward and punishment, thus, slowly disappeared over the First Temple period.</p>
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<p>Hashem's modes of providence have changed over time.&#160; Though immediate reward and punishment is manifest in the Biblical and First Temple periods, it disappeared thereafter as Hashem's initial overt providence gradually became covert.&#160;</p>
 
<point><b>"עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ"</b></point>
 
<point><b>"עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ"</b></point>
</category>
 
<category>No Rewards
 
<p>The blessings promised in the Torah should be viewed as enablers or natural consequences rather than rewards.</p>
 
 
</category>
 
</category>
 
</approaches>
 
</approaches>
 
</page>
 
</page>
 
</aht-xml>
 
</aht-xml>

Version as of 11:40, 12 December 2020

Reward and Punishment

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Individual Recompense in This World

Individuals are compensated for their actions already in this world, and not only in the next world.

Total or partial compensation?

No Individual Reward in This World

Individuals do not receive true retribution in this world, getting their just desserts only in the next world.

Collective nature of Biblical blessings – According to this approach, the Torah's promises of physical, this worldly retribution apply only on the national level. As the vast majority of these blessings and curses, such as war/peace, rain/drought, prosperity/famine,1 are indeed collective in nature, this would seem to be the simple sense of the text. Some verses even explicitly mention the nation,2 while others foretell how outsiders will view the fate of the country when the blessings / curses come to fruition,3 further supporting the idea that Biblical rewards are aimed at the group rather than the individual.4
Rewards for individual observance – Certain verses speak of rewards for individual observance of specific mitzvot, such as honoring parents or sending away the mother bird. At first glance, and in contrast to this approach, these seem to imply that there is individual reward in this world as well.  This position can explain such verses in one of two ways:
"וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא"
Physical Blessings
Why not reward the individual in this world?
Philosophical motivations
Nature of עולם הבא
Why isn't עולם הבא mentioned in the Torah?
Purpose of rewards / punishments
Is it problematic to hope for reward?

Changing Rewards

Hashem's modes of providence have changed over time.  Though immediate reward and punishment is manifest in the Biblical and First Temple periods, it disappeared thereafter as Hashem's initial overt providence gradually became covert. 

"עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ"