Reward and Punishment/2

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Reward and Punishment

Exegetical Approaches

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Individuals Rewarded in this World

Individuals Not Rewarded in this World

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

Ultimate reward: physical or spiritual? The Rambam opines that true reward can only be spiritual in nature, for physical rewards are meaningless to the soul and pale in comparison. As such, it is impossible to be fully rewarded in this life; retribution must of necessity come only in the next world where the righteous merit to commune with Hashem (נֶהֱנִין מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה) and the sinners are cut off.2  This understanding of the primacy of spiritual reward might be one of the main philosophical motivations for the Rambam.
Other philosophical motivations – Several other philosophical assumptions and issues might further influence this reading of reward and punishment:
  • Hashem's providence – According to many of these sources,3 though there is individual Divine providence, not all merit it to the same degree,4 and in general, the world is run via natural law rather than such providence. In such a world, it is difficult to reward an individual for his personal deeds, as this will often necessitate intervening in nature.  For example, if one deserves rain, but his neighbors do not,5 making the individual's crops grow while the neighbors' suffer drought requires a miracle.
  • Reality that appears to contradict the Torah – These sources might also be motivated by their perceptions of reality, in which often individuals do not appear to receive the rewards promised by Torah despite mitzvah observance.6  Positing that the Torah does not promise individual retribution in this world resolves the seeming contradiction.7
Is not deferred retribution unjust? One might question the justice of deferred retribution.  If a person sins or acts righteously in this world, should he not get his due in this world as well?  Is it fair that one needs to wait for one's reward?  Rambam appears unperturbed by the question, assuming that the magnitude of the good of the next world renders all rewards of this world negligible.8 Others might suggest that since this and the next world are really one continuum9, there is no injustice in meting out recompense in one world for deeds done in the other.
Biblical blessings – The Torah's many promises of reward and punishment, especially those which are physical in nature and thus appear to refer to compensation in this world,10 present a difficulty for this position which assumes that there is no such retribution:
  • Collective recompense – R. Crescas11 responds that the retribution spoken about in the verses is for the collective, and refers to national rather than individual rewards. This is supported by the collective nature of the vast majority of the Torah's blessings and curses, which speak of war, rain, plague, famine and the like.12  In addition, many verses appear to be addressing a group, being worded in the plural,13 and others, despite being worded in the singular, explicitly mention the nation.14  The collective context further implies that even surrounding verses which could theoretically be explained to refer only to the individual refer to the group as well.15
  • Enablers – Rambam,16 in contrast, suggests that even individuals might in fact benefit from the promises of Torah,17 but maintains that these do not constitute rewards but rather enablers. A life free of troubles, sickness, and war will make it easier for people to observe Hashem's commandments,18 paving the way for one to earn real reward in the next world.19  
  • Rewards of next world – R. Yaakov suggests that other promises such as "לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ / לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ" in Shemot 20:11 or Devarim 22:720 refer to the next world.21  This, though, is somewhat difficult in light of the ending of the verse (and other similar ones) which explicitly add, "עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ", suggesting that the promise applies to this world.22  R. Bachya,
"וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא"
Why not reward the individual in this world?
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"