Reward and Punishment/2
Reward and Punishment
Exegetical Approaches
Individuals Not Rewarded in this World
Individuals do not receive true retribution in this world, getting their just desserts only in the next world.
- Collective recompense – R. Crescas, R"Y Albo and Abarbanel4 respond that the retribution spoken about throughout Torah refers only to the collective and speaks of national rather than individual rewards.
- Collective nature – This is supported by the collective nature of the vast majority of the Torah's blessings and curses which speak of war, rain, famine and the like.5
- Plural formulation – As further support for this reading, R"Y Albo further points to the plural formulation of the blessings/curses of Vayikra 26,6 which suggests that a group, rather than an individual, is being addressed. He notes that other verses, despite being worded in the singular, explicitly mention or reference the nation as well.7 [Even without such explicit references, however, the singular formulation need not be troubling as the nation is often addressed as an individual body.]
- Larger covenantal context – The context of the blessings and curses of both Vayikra 26 and Devarim 28 is that of a national covenant, further implying that they are aimed at the nation as a whole.
- Rewards of next world – This approach can also suggest that certain rewards8 in Torah do indeed refer to the individual, but to blessings of the next world. Thus, R. Yaakov maintains that the promises of "לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ / לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ" in Devarim 5:15 and Devarim 22:79 refer to the spiritual good and eternal life of the next world.10
- Enablers (or obstacles) – In contrast to the above, Rambam11 suggests that even individuals might in fact benefit from the promises of Torah in this world, but he maintains that these do not constitute rewards but rather enablers.12 A life free of troubles, sickness, and war will make it easier for people to observe Hashem's commandments,13 paving the way for one to earn real reward in the next world.14
- Rambam would claim that these cases are not examples of punishments/ rewards but deterrents or enablers, preparing the person for his full retribution in the next world.
- Others might suggest that these cases are exceptional, either because the individual's actions had ramifications for the nation as a whole (as in the case of the spies or Korach) or because the individuals were leaders who are above the system of law and not easily punished in human courts.
- "וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֹׂנְאָיו אֶל פָּנָיו לְהַאֲבִידוֹ לֹא יְאַחֵר" – Contrary to this approach, this verse implies that individual punishment17 is not deferred (לֹא יְאַחֵר). It is possible, though, that the verse is not speaking of immediate punishment at all. It simply states that in contrast to the previous verse's promise that righteous deeds will be remembered for thousands of years, a sinner's actions will not affect those generations that come after him (לֹא יְאַחֵר), but only he himself (אֶל פָּנָיו).18
- Individual observance – Verses which speak of rewards for individual observance of specific mitzvot,19 would seem to also be speaking of individual recompense. Some commentators20 claim that, nonetheless, even these refer only to collective retribution.21 Thus, Ralbag understands the promise "לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ" to refer not to personal longevity, but a long national existence in the land of Israel.22
- "אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה... וְרָבְצָה בּוֹ כׇּל הָאָלָה הַכְּתוּבָה בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה" – This verse implies that the punishments of Devarim 28 will apply even on the individual level. One could say, however that the verse is saying only that such a sinner should not think that he will escape the collective punishment of the verses.
- וְשַׂמְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת פָּנַי בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא – These sources might claim that this verse is not referring to punishment in this world, as it mentions כרת, understood by the Rambam to mean being cut off from the next world.23
- Abarbanel notes that since observance of Hashem's commandments is essentially a spiritual act, it is only fitting that the ultimate reward be spiritual as well.
- Rambam adds that physical rewards, being meaningless to the soul and paling in comparison to spiritual rewards, are insignificant to the point of being almost worthless. Moreover, the highest pleasure is contemplation of God, and this is best achieved when the soul is not trapped and limited by a body. As such, it is impossible to be fully rewarded in this physical world; 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.24
- Rambam appears unperturbed by the question, assuming that the magnitude of the good of the next world renders all rewards of this world negligible. According to him, it is simply impossible to get full reward in this world, so there can be no question of injustice.
- Others might suggest that since this and the next world are really one continuum,33 there is no issue in meting out recompense in one world for deeds done in the other.
- According to Rambam, "עולם הבא" refers to the eternal existence of the souls of the deserving after death (and the cutting off of the undeserving). It is a purely spiritual existence where souls exist without a body, basking in Hashem's glory, with no need for food, drink, or sleep. It is not a distinct place to be created in the future after the Messianic era and Resurrection of the Dead,34 but simply how one refers to what happens to each soul immediately after death.
- One could have alternatively suggested, as do R. Saadia Gaon and Ramban, that "עולם הבא" is an actual physical place which will be created after the Messianic age and Resurrection of the Dead, in which the resurrected will live eternally. If so, the ultimate reward is for both the body and soul, and is not purely spiritual (though bodies will not need physical sustenance as they do in this world). R"Y Albo explains that since both the body and soul performed mitzvot, and neither was fully rewarded in this world, they both deserve reward in the next world.
- Rambam explains that Hashem omitted mention of this bliss because He does not want people to serve Him for hopes of reward or fear of punishment, but rather for the sake of Hashem Himself.
- Ibn Ezra suggests that since Torah is given to the masses, who would not be able to comprehend the secrets of the next world, Hashem speaks on their level, telling only of the physical rewards of this world.
- R"Y Albo asserts that Torah's focus is the collective rather than the individual, being a covenant between Hashem and the nation. Therefore, there is no room for discussion of the next world which refers only to the fate of the individual.
- The Kuzari and Ran36 note that if Torah only spoke of a world to come (as is promised by other religions), there would be no way to verify Hashem's providence and one would have to rely on faith alone that retribution is really to come.37 The Kuzari further adds that, for many, the physical rewards of this world are a greater incentive to observance than promises of the next world.
- Rambam claims that one should observe mitzvot for their own sake, simply because that is God's bidding, and not for hopes of reward. As mentioned, it is for this reason that true rewards are not mentioned in Torah.
- Abarbanel, in contrast, asserts that there is nothing wrong with serving Hashem in hopes of reward, as proven by the many verses in which Hashem Himself says to observe "so that it will be good for you" and the like. He does assert, however, that one should not serve with the hope of achieving physical rewards in mind as these are fleeting and not the true compensation, regardless.
Individuals Rewarded in this World
Individuals receive retribution for their actions already in this world, and not only in the next world. This position subdivides regarding the extent of the compensation in this world:
Rewards for All Mitzvot
Individuals gets reward in both this and the next world for observance of every mitzvah.
- Devarim 29:17-20 addresses individual sinners (יֶעְשַׁן אַף י״י וְקִנְאָתוֹ בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא), stating that they, too, will be plagued by the curses of Devarim 28. The verses imply that even if the collective is being rewarded and reaping blessings, the sinner will individually suffer the calamities described. Even in this world, then, punishment is individual, and not just collelctive.
- Other verses speak of retribution for individual observance or transgression of mitzvot.41 As several of these specifically mention receiving rewards "on this land"42 and others refer to physical punishment43 or material prosperity,44 it seems that these, too, refer to recompense in this world and not the next. In addition, some of these rewards (longevity and dying childless) would seem to naturally affect the individual rather than the collective.
- Miraculous rewards – One might suggest that this world is run by individual providence and Hashem actively intervenes in nature so as to reward and punish as deserved. As such, though many verses promise punishment which is collective in nature and which would seem to unavoidably prevent the righteous from receiving proper recompense, this position would claim that Hashem intervenes to ensure that only the deserving individuals suffer when calamities fall, while the righteous are spared and instead given their proper reward.48
- Natural rewards – Netziv, in contrast, asserts that rewards and punishments are built into the very fabric of observance and transgression. Performing mitzvot naturally brings blessing in its wake and transgressions naturally bring calamity.49 This, though, does not mean that a righteous individual will automatically be saved from collective afflictions;50 even innocents can be caught in a general catastrophe. According to this logic, though all might be rewarded for their good deeds in this world, they might simultaneously get punishments they do not deserve (and vice versa).51
- Insufficient merit – This approach might respond that the vast majority of the rewards and punishments in Torah are for general observance, which is difficult for an outsider (not privy to others' every thought and action) to gauge. Moreover, Torah does not even share what level of righteousness one needs to merit these rewards. It is, thus, possible that people who do not reap blessings have simply not accumulated sufficient merits.
- Misperception of reward – In other cases, the stated reward is very general in nature (למען ייטב לך), which makes its fulfillment difficult for an outsider to perceive.52 The lack of perception, though, does not mean that the reward was not granted.
- Unexplained – It is more difficult to understand cases where an individual observes a Torah command whose specific reward is enumerated in the text but is, nonetheless, not granted that blessing.53 See R. D"Z Hoffmann who says that if experience shows that one who honored their parents does not get longevity, one must view this as an exceptional case whose reasoning is unknown.
Rewards for Select Mitzvot
Though many individual deeds are rewarded or punished only in the next world, a select group of actions are renumerated already in this world.
- Interpersonal acts – Mishna Peah mentions the specific mitzvot of honoring parents, acts of kindness, peace-making and learning Torah.58 Rambam notes that the common denominator is that all are interpersonal mitzvot,59 and suggests that the Mishna is claiming that for these one gets reward already in this world,60 while for mitzvot between man and his Creator, one reaps reward only in the next world.61 Chovot Halevavot makes a similar distinction, but in contrast to the Mishna, he claims that the former is rewarded only in this world, and the latter only in the World to Come.62
- Severe crimes – Tosefta Peah enumerates crimes for which one is punished in both worlds, listing idolatry, murder, sexual misdeeds and gossip. The common denominator might be the severity of the crime, as three of the four constitute those commands for which one is obligated to forfeit one's life rather than transgress.63
- כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם – Honoring parents is rewarded with longevity in Shemot 20:11.69
- וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם – Devarim 14:28-29 and Devarim 15:7-10 promise prosperity to one who has given the tithe of the poor or loans to the disadvantaged, acts of חסד.70
- עבודה זרה – In Vayikra 20:3 Hashem explicitly targets the individual worshiper of the Molekh, and in Devarim 29:17-20, He curses an individual who turns to idolatry with the punishments mentioned in Devarim 28.71
- גילוי עריות – Vayikra 20:20 specifies punishment of childlessness to one who sleeps with his aunt.72
- שפיכות דמים – Though there is no specific curse mentioned for murder, already in Bereshit 9, Hashem says that He will seek the death of all who kill (וְאַךְ אֶת דִּמְכֶם לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם אֶדְרֹשׁ), suggesting that he is referring to Divine rather than human punishment.
- Absence of rewards – The absence is not troubling as interpersonal acts are not often discussed in Torah, and even when they are, there is no reason to expect that rewards will also be mentioned.74
- Record of punishments –This position might explain that there are always exceptional cases of punishment, and some will receive retribution in this world for crimes other than the severe ones mentioned, but that does not contradict the general rule that as a whole, people only receive retribution for the select deeds discussed above.
- Rambam explains that laws between man and His Creator are essentially spiritual acts, and are thus rewarded in the spiritual sphere. It is appropriate, though, that non-spiritual acts (such as מצוות בין אדם לחברו) receive compensation also in the physical world.75
- Crimes of the severity of murder or idolatry might be punished in both worlds due simply to the weight of the crime.
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.