Questions tagged [reward-punishment]
The concept of reward and punishment in Judaism- theologically, halachically, and philosophically
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Sources on hirhurei aveira
There's a famous Rosh, very short, on the subject of הרהורים, and the mechanics of punishment for bad thoughts alone. Supposedly, it has opened a rich literature, but my חברותא & I are not ...
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Can We Use Our Reward In The Next World Like Money In This World?
A story about the Vilna Ga’on appears in Halachic Man (on p.30 in the 1984 English edition). I feel like I’ve heard essentially the same story many times, told about various historical figures, ...
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Is God glad when punishing us?
Devarim 28:63 reads:
וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׂשׂ י״י עֲלֵיכֶם לְהֵיטִיב אֶתְכֶם וּלְהַרְבּוֹת אֶתְכֶם כֵּן יָשִׂישׂ י״י עֲלֵיכֶם לְהַאֲבִיד אֶתְכֶם וּלְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם וְנִסַּחְתֶּם מֵעַל הָאֲדָמָה ...
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Repenting cannot forgive certain sin? [closed]
Isn’t it true that King David suffered a lot! Losing a child, his sons rebelling against him, he speak of having a lot of joint pain and being sick. Even such a righteous person who was so close to ...
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What does it mean col Minei gehinom sholtim bo
BH
Hi, in Igerret HaRamban the Ramban quotes Razal (Nedarim 22a) and says:
כל הכועס כל מיני גיהנם שולטין בו
Anyone who gets angry, all kinds of Gehenna rule over him
What does this mean? Isn’t ...
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Can a sinner volunteer for punishment?
If a person knows that he commited an aveira (sin), and knows what the punishment is and wants the kapara (atonement), but the court does not administer the punishment due to lack of evidence, witness ...
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The Nachash and Bechira [duplicate]
How could the nachash in gan eden be punished if animals don’t have bechira (as is the implication of the Rambam Hil Teshuva 5:1, and Sanhedrin 108)?
Also, any sources would be great.
Thanks for your ...
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Reconciling Maimonides' Interpretation of Theodicy in the Book of Job: Eliphaz vs. Elihu
A question has been on my mind, and I would appreciate your opinion.
While studying chapter 23 of the third book of the Moreh Nevukhim, Rambam (Maimonides) seems to acknowledge the traditional view of ...
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Eradication of Free Will under a functioning Biblical legal system or Talmudic education
It is frequently argued that the lack of direct Heavenly intervention in the Creation was designed to allow for a free "pressure-free" choice between good and bad. E.g. when a person breaks ...
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When Hashem wishes to punish someone He takes away their bitachon
BH
Hi, I read in Shaar Bitachon page 4 in the White version with Chassidic notes, in the commentary, that the Baal Shem Tov said that a person must pray that his trust be strengthened, because when ...
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What’s the punishment for offering a korban wrongly?
What's the punishment for offering a korban in an incorrect way?
For example as per Masechet Kinnim 1:1, you may not offer a bird olah below the hut ha-siqra (the red line that horizontally separates ...
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Special blessings/zechuyot - how does it work?
When we want special zechuyot (merits/credit, such as blessings, health etc.) for others as well as ourselves (bakashas etc), we often add dedications/names to our learning and prayers.
Why exactly do ...
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Does אַגְרָא (Avot 5:23) translate better as פְּרָס or שְׂכַר?
I believe (based on Rambam on Avot 1:3) that פְּרָס translates better as "a present given in grace as an unearned gift, rather than as wages", whereas שְׂכַר is more akin to what one ...
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Sin & punishment (or consequence)
חג שמח לכולם
I missed the exact quote, though I already read some hebrew motto which states in a short phrase that when someone sins, the Divine reward (punishment or consequence) for the sin is ...
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What is Koheles' view of the Torah?
Koheles doesn't mention the special election of Israel, Maamad Har Sinai or Nevuah.
It does talk about God, right and wrong and reward and punishment.
Do any major Jewish thinkers entertain the ...
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What is the Schar one receives for being amongst the first 10 in a minyan?
I know it's important to be amongst the first 10 in a minyan, but what is the reward for doing so?
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Each word of Torah is its own mitzvah for gentiles?
This is a quote from an article I read on torchweb.org
"The Vilna Gaon in Shenos Eliyahu explains that each and every word of Torah that we study is its own separate mitzvah with its own separate ...
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Why does one who does chessed and Torah get the portion of Yosef and Yissachar?
In Bava Kamma (17a) it says:
א"ר יוחנן משום ר"ש בן יוחאי מאי דכתיב (ישעיהו לב, כ) אשריכם זורעי על כל מים משלחי רגל השור והחמור כל העוסק בתורה ובגמילות חסדים זוכה לנחלת שני שבטים ... וזוכה ...
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What does Ramban refer to with the term "hidden miracles"?
Ramban posits (many times, see links below) that there are open miracles that don't conform to the laws of nature which are used to establish eternal truths vs hidden miracles which do work within ...
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What obligates Jews beyond universal morality if they didn't accept more, unlike those at Sinai?
I get that God can hold one to account for whatever He'd like to regardless of if a person accepted to abide by certain behavior or not however I don't believe that He would as it does not seem to be ...
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Chanoch was Judged Based on His Future - Doesn't This Defy the General Rule?
In Genesis (5:24) it states:
וַיִּתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ חֲנ֖וֹךְ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְאֵינֶ֕נּוּ כִּֽי־לָקַ֥ח אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃ {ס}
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him.
Rashi ...
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Punishment for disobedient Jewish slaves
What exactly is the punishment for a disobedient Jewish (Hebrew) slave? And what exactly is the procedure for the punishment, does the owner go before the Beit Din, or do the judgement themselves? And ...
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Why did God punish the King's children
Why did God punish David’s children if the Torah says God doesn’t punish one’s children for the sins of the parents?
2 Samuel Chapter 12
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Is one punished for sinful thoughts? [duplicate]
Is one punished for sinful thoughts brought upon by one's yetzer hara? Please give sources, thanks in advance.
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What happened to King Achashverosh?
All the main characters in the story of Purim were either killed, or raised to a level of authority. additionally, it is mentioned in the megillah what happened to them (Vashti was killed, Haman and ...
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Does the fact that G-d rewards and punishes show that there must be free will?
From the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 5:4) it seems that if not for the concept of free choice, there would be no concept of reward and punishment.
The question is: even if there would be no concept of ...
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Rewarding the few while punishing the majority
Why does the creation of the world to reward the few who can successfully work on themselves to cleave to Hashem have to come at the expense of the vast majority of mankind not getting olam haba and ...
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Why were the Bnei Yisrael exiled to Egypt?
I'm not asking why they literally went down (e.g. to look for food). I'm asking, what did they do wrong to deserve it. They were the direct descendants of some of the greatest people in all of history ...
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Is it commendable to be fearful of God's wrath?
In the daily recitation of the Shema, we mention God's anger (וחרה אף) as a potential motivation for adhering to the Torah. However, there seems to be a concern that some individuals might ...
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Are non-Jews rewarded for following the Torah?
Obviously a non-Jew cannot keep Shabbos but what if, for example, they wanted to keep kosher and say brachos on food? Are they rewarded?
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Yefas Toar - rape allowed by the Torah before the marriage?
Ki Saitzai deals with the Eishes Yefas Toar “woman of beautiful form” taken in battle.
Ramban and Rabbeinu Tam say that the Torah permits the soldier to have relations with the maiden immediately. ...
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Torah Study and Tzitzit
The Sages have said "The study of Torah is equivalent to all of them [613 Mitzvot]." (Kedushin 39b)
I assume that means the reward of Torah study is equal to the reward of doing each ...
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Parshas Behalosecha: The inverted nuns demarcating two punishments
In Parshas Behalosecha, famously the verses 10:35-36 are bookended with two inverted "נ's":
׆ וַיְהִ֛י בִּנְסֹ֥עַ הָאָרֹ֖ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֑ה קוּמָ֣ה ׀ ה' וְיָפֻ֙צוּ֙ אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְיָנֻ֥סוּ ...
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Why does Hashem force us to follow His commandments?
I understand that we have free will and are punished for doing things that hurt others, and are rewarded for doing the right thing. What I do not understand is, why does Hashem send us to Gehinnom for ...
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Looking for a midrash concerning aveirot that increase suspicions of oneself in others
Shalom.
I asked this question a few days ago, and quickly deleted it when I realised it was Yom Tov (I am a Noachide). I tried reinstating the question just now, but noticed that it did not go to the ...
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What do we want? How to resolve this seeming mixed message in Alshich on Shir HaShirim 1:4?
Here is an excerpt. I recommend learning the whole commentary on 1:4 before considering answering the question.
הה"ד משכני וכו' והוא כי הלא יקשה בכתוב אשר הערנו למעלה אומרו משכני
לשון יחיד נרוצה ...
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A thought is considered a separate sin?
When someone commits a sin, is the thought of that sin considered a separate transgression? If this person, for instance, eats a forbidden food, is the thought of eating this food considered a second ...
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When attempting to sin is considered an actual sin?
If someone attempts to sin but, for some reason, is not successful, normally God disregards his attempt and does not punish him (as it is stated in Kiddushin 40a "מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ ...
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Does the Tanakh teach some will suffer eternal conscious torment?
Many identifying as Christians teach that sinners will suffer eternal conscious torment, but I'm wondering what the Jewish view is. Is there an argument from the Tanakh that some will undergo eternal ...
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Does one still get Schar for trying to do a Mitzvah even if they didn’t end up doing it properly?
Presumably a person would still get some Schar for putting in the effort for doing a Mitzvah even if they didn’t end up doing it properly, right? Lfum Tzaarah Agra?
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How can Chachamim put price tags on mitzvot?
The Gemera in Chullin 87a (and see Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 382:1) that one who steals another persons mitzvah must give the person from who he stole 10 zehuvim. My question is, how can Chachmim ...
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Man's Duty in this World
According to Judaism, what is man's duty in this world, and what should man's goal in life be?
Is our goal to fulfill G0d's commandments, which will earn us a place in Olam Haba, or is our goal merely ...
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Why was Yaackov punished for answering Pharaoh's Question, "How old are you?"
Why was Yaackov punished for answering Pharaoh the way he did when pharaoh asked him how old he was?
I am sure Yaakov knew how to answer this easy to figure out question quite well. Well enough not to ...
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Why does a Tanya level Tzadik get rewarded?
One description of a Tanya Tzadik says (from this answer):
This provides us with new parameters for understanding who is a Tzadik. In a Tzadik, the battle between the two souls is over and the winner ...
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What is the difference between mida k'negged mida and nekama
Not a kasha, a sincere question. What is the exact reason that mida k'negged mida is not considered revenge?
Issues that may or may not be relevant:
Is it just because it is Hashem doing it?
Does ...
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Give account to God?
I read a lot in the Jewish and even Christian community that we will have to give an account to God one day. How will this be done? Is there a whole process, or a protocol to be followed? Will the ...
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When is it wrong to not do a positive mitzvah
I've heard several times in the past (without sources) that it is a big problem for a Jewish man to not wear tzitzis during the day, but why? Isn't it just that we are rewarded for doing it? Does ...
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Accepting judgement
I often think about the people who went through the concentration camps run by the Nazis, and many of the other horrific things that Jewish people have been subjected to throughout the ages. I ...
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What sin was Hevel killed for? [duplicate]
In Judaism we believe that someone who is murdered is being killed as punishment for his sins. What sin did Hevel commit to deserve to be put to death?
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Being punished for things beyond bechira point
According to Rabbi Dessler's idea of a "bechira point", if something is beyond my bechira point and I transgress it, does that mean that I won't be punished for it because it is beyond what ...
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