Questions tagged [reward-punishment]
The concept of reward and punishment in Judaism- theologically, halachically, and philosophically
278
questions
7
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1answer
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Why can a baby get Tzaraas?
Reference in Gemora Shabbos 133a Daf Yomi recently to tzaraas (skin disease see Leviticus 13) on the foreskin regarding mila (circumcission). This implies babies can have tzaraas.
If tzaraas is not ...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Berachot 5a - What is R. Yochanan's objection?
In Berachot 5a we have the following exchange between Reis Lakish and R. Yochanan:
אמר רבי שמעון בן לקיש כל העוסק בתורה יסורין בדילין הימנו שנאמר ובני רשף יגביהו עוף ואין עוף אלא תורה שנאמר התעיף ...
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Does attending a Siyum receive the merit as if one has learned the whole Masechta (Tractate)?
I've heard people say that attending a Siyum gets the merit like you learned all of the Gemara that's getting Siyum'd on.
Is there a mekor (Torah source) for this idea?
(And if yes, then does any ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
How does one get punished for sins beyond punishment?
I asked this question in a comment to another question's answer, but I wanted to ask it explicitly:
It has been stated that :
[...] it has been pointed out in Rishonim [...] that some sins are so ...
1
vote
1answer
160 views
Jewish married man having relations with Jewish divorced woman [closed]
What is the Halacha of a Jewish married man engaging in physical relations with a Jewish divorced woman.
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3answers
164 views
What is the reason the religious adherence is currently inversely proportional to the standard of living? [closed]
It is a well-established fact that the most religious modern societies are the poorest, having the least life expectancy, most infant mortality, hunger, wars, wild animals and everything that's on the ...
3
votes
1answer
64 views
Punishment vs suffering
The Rambam says in Hilchos Teshuva chapter 1
עָבַר עַל כְּרֵתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה, תְּשׁוּבָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים תּוֹלִין וְיִסּוּרִין הַבָּאִין עָלָיו גּוֹמְרִין לוֹ ...
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votes
1answer
106 views
If Jews don't believe in heaven, what reason do they have to follow a moral code? [closed]
In Christianity for example, some people argue that you should be good on this Earth in order to get your reward in heaven.
In Judaism as there is no heaven, what is the reason given to follow the ...
4
votes
1answer
180 views
How can having witnesses to a crime lessen the punishment?
This answer describes a scenario where if a sin (relations with a non Jew for purposes of marriage) is committed without witnesses, one gets punished with kares, but if there are witnesses he gets ...
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0answers
36 views
What made G-d change His opinion about Humans and how is it possible?
וַיָּ֣רַח ה' אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ
לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד ...
0
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1answer
112 views
What percentage of the humanity must sin to cause G-d to wipe them all?
In the story of the Mabul, the Torah's description of the overall disorder is very vague - "The Earth was corrupted and filled with Hamas".
THe outcome is clear - the whole of humanity was judged. ...
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votes
1answer
80 views
Were G-d's expectations for Dor Hamabul realistic?
Undoubtfully the all-loving G-d was a bit harsh on punishing the whole generation of Noah (probably millions?) by drowning them (and all the animals - what did they do?) in boiling water (He could ...
0
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0answers
54 views
Reverse Pascal's wager in the plain Torah
I'm trying to understand the simple "game theory" of the plain text of the Tora. I don't deal with the idea of afterlife/World to Come as it does not appear in the scriptures (maybe remotely hinted).
...
0
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1answer
103 views
Why does נהמא דכיסופא make sense at all between lovers? [duplicate]
This preliminary question asks about what N"D is.
The נהמא דכיסופא is a possible explanation for why should we suffer in this world to receive the reward in the afterworld. I tried to verify that:
...
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1answer
56 views
Frequency of Heavenly judgment
@Maurice has asked a series of interesting questions on how our reward and punishment system works. We generally hold that Yom Kippur is the time of the final verdict for a year, but I'd like to know ...
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1answer
99 views
How do reward and punishment work?
1-Good things happen to good people. Because God rewards good behavior. [Lev 26:3-13]
2-Bad things happen to bad people. Because God punishes bad behavior. [Lev 26:14-45]
3-Good things happen to ...
2
votes
1answer
94 views
Does Rambam hold of eternal punishment?
In chapter 3 of Hilchos Teshuva, Rambam says
The following individuals do not have a portion in the world to come. Rather, their [souls] are cut off and they are judged for their great wickedness ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Does Teshuva protect from punishment or not?
The Rambam says in Hilchos Teshuva, chapter 6:
There are other sins for which justice determines that retribution be
exacted in the world to come with no damages coming to the
transgressor in ...
2
votes
0answers
41 views
What was the consequence of Yael's sin?
The gemarah (Horiyot 10b, Nazir 23b) states that Yael sinned for the sake of God in sleeping with Sisra. I would like to know what consequence, if any, there was for this sin. Was her husband ...
5
votes
1answer
68 views
Why are some sins counted twice?
I am looking to understand the theology behind a negative commandment being repeated in the Torah in order to make whomever transgresses it punishable for 2 sins.
See for example Rashi on Vayikra 25:...
3
votes
2answers
152 views
What are the “major” and “minor” commandments?
The Mishna says:
Be quick in performing a minor commandment as a major one. [Avot 4:2]
But we do not rank the commandments. The Mishna also says:
Be as scrupulous in observing a minor ...
3
votes
4answers
319 views
Egalitarian references in Chazal
I'm trying to find references in Chazal to the principle that people are judged/rewarded based on the choices they make, regardless of their specific role in society. For example, I believe I have ...
3
votes
3answers
199 views
What is my status with God?
I am asking in a manner where “I” represents people like me, in the sense that the answer might apply to me but also more broadly to others.
By “status with God” Interpret as “what consequences may ...
3
votes
1answer
81 views
How did Bilaam know that illicit relations was the way to trip up Klal Yisrael?
As recounted by Rashi to Numbers 25:1 and Sanhedrin 106a- after Bilaam's "cursing" of Klal Yisrael was unsuccessful, he advised Balak that the way to take down Klal Yisrael was to entice them with ...
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Why were Er and Onan punished if they were under 20?
As seen from this question, the Heavenly Court does not punish an individual (at least in this life) if he or she is under 20.
However, according to Seder Hadoros (Year 2217) Er and Onan were 7 or 8 ...
3
votes
0answers
36 views
Getting Back Mitzvot One Regretted
Can one get the reward for mitzvot he regretted back, if he does teshuva for regretting them, or regrets that he regretted doing them?
6
votes
1answer
124 views
Is the punishment for loshan hara death or tzaraas?
What is worse loshan hara about a thing or about a person?
We see that Miriam said Lashan Hara about a person and got Tzoraas
We see the meraglim said Lashan Hara about trees and stones and received ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views
Comprehensive list of punishments for all 365 negative commandments
Is there a comprehensive list of all the punishments for the 365 negative commandments?
The Rambam in Hilchos Sanhedrin reveals 243 (see below)--
what are the punishments for transgressing the ...
6
votes
2answers
175 views
Freewill and rewarding dogs
If animals don't have freewill, why are dogs rewarded for not having barked at Jewish people during the Exodus from Egypt? (Exodus 11 and Exodus 22)
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Motivation for Miztvot
According to Bava Kamma 79b, the penalty difference between a ganav and a gazlan is that the robber does not disrespect Hashem -- he commits his crime in full view of anyone, man or God but the thief ...
3
votes
2answers
247 views
Does Hashem care about Halachah Lemaase?
Upfront: this is a metaphysical/theological question
In many (almost all?) areas of Jewish practice, there are a number of different and at times diametrically opposed opinions as to what the ...
3
votes
2answers
74 views
'Alcoholic drinks' and 'reward' are both “שכר”
Alcoholic drinks (and drunkenness) and reward seem like rather disparate ideas! Is there a reason why they might imply one another and do any commentaries interchange between the two to bring some ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
Source of a quote about the value of mitzvot involving pain
This quote is attributed to the Yerushalmi:
One mitzvah involving pain is worth a hundred mitzvot that do not.
Do you have the exact reference? Is this the only place this thought is expressed?
0
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0answers
38 views
Does the hell exist? [duplicate]
Does the hell exist? As in the book of Isaiah, there is a reference to "fire" that is not "quenched".
Isaiah 66:24
"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have ...
6
votes
1answer
140 views
What happens if a Jewish king marries a 19th wife?
The mishna on Sanhedrin 21a teaches us that a king may not have more than 18 wives, and this is also codified by The Rambam (Hilchos Malachim 3:2):
לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ נָשִׁים. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
What if the wicked son didn’t know better?
We say at the Seder:
רָשָׁע מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר? מָה הָעֲבוֹדָה הַזּאֹת לָכֶם. לָכֶם – וְלֹא לוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל כָּפַר בְּעִקָּר. וְאַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו ...
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vote
1answer
64 views
Does God care about things that don't affect the Jews?
There is a trope in Judaism that God smites even the greatest Empires when they oppress the Jews.
Does God ever smite nations that are wicked to other non-Jews?
We do have the example of Sodom, but ...
2
votes
2answers
42 views
Cursing Adam and Eve in addition to punishment?
When Adam was commanded not to eat from the tree of knowledge, G-d presented him with the punishment (Ber 2.17):
וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ ...
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0answers
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How can Kares be greater than execution by beis din (and also eternal according to R' Kapach)?
In this exposition of what kares means, the following view is quoted:
[...] R. Yosef Kafach (Mishneh Torah, Hilkhos Teshuvah ch. 8 n. 4) offers a different interpretation. He suggests that the ...
5
votes
2answers
118 views
Is kares a greater punishment than capital punishment, or vice versa?
In many cases (e.g., no warning, no witnesses) a capital crime is not punished by a beis din, but instead the offender gets kares. Let's assume for the purposes of this question that kares includes ...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
Which sins are beyond punishment?
Yishai said in a comment elsewhere on this forum :
It has been pointed out in Rishonim that some sins are so bad they
can't get a punishment - because the punishment creates forgiveness,
but ...
3
votes
2answers
126 views
Why are future generations still paying for the sin of the Golden Calf?
Parshas Ki Tisa recounts the episode of the golden calf, and the immediate punishment that was meted out for the sin. In addition to this, Rashi on Shemos 32:34 (quoting Sanhedrin 102a ) writes:
...
0
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1answer
78 views
Is a sin only counted if it was committed three times or more?
According to the Rambam (Teshuvah 3,5):
"בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשּׁוֹקְלִין עֲוֹנוֹת אָדָם עִם זְכֻיּוֹתָיו אֵין מְחַשְּׁבִין עָלָיו עָוֹן שֶׁחָטָא בּוֹ תְּחִלָּה וְלֹא שֵׁנִי אֶלָּא מִשְּׁלִישִׁי וְאֵילָךְ."...
4
votes
3answers
117 views
Does Hashem reward you for keeping negative mitzvot?
Does Hashem reward you for keeping negative mitzvot or only punishes for trangressions?
3
votes
0answers
85 views
Does a Ben Noach, who keeps the seven mitzvot but has bad hashkafah, get punished by Hashem?
Does a Ben Noach, who keeps the seven mitzvot but has bad Hashkafah, get punished by Hashem?
For example, if the B'nei Noach says things that are kefira for a Jew like saying that the Oral Torah is ...
7
votes
2answers
131 views
The purpose of punishment in the Afterlife
This follows my previous question "can-one's-merits-in-the-world-to-come-be-traded"
In my humble understanding, the general purpose of punishment is to make someone better, to make a person change, ...
0
votes
2answers
44 views
Can one's merits or one's part in the World To Come be traded?
Say, someone is very afraid of his sins and the future punishment in Afterdeath. However, he did a lot of Mitzvos also and he's promised a part in the WTC as all Jews are.
Can he trade in the ...
1
vote
1answer
116 views
Karet and No Share in ha'olam Haba
What is the difference between a person who died without doing teshuva on his sins on Karet, Eternal gehinnom and having no share in the world to come?
1
vote
0answers
25 views
Why does the Torah not include jail as punishment? [duplicate]
The Torah does not include jail as punishment for transgressions. Death, flogging, fines, shunning, yes, but not jail. Do our sources comment on that? Where?
5
votes
1answer
59 views
Why was Chizqia losing Olam Haba?
Talmud Berachot 10a tells the discussion between Yeshaya and Chizqia about children:
מת אתה בעולם הזה ולא תחיה לעולם הבא! אמר לו מאי כולי האי?! אמר לו משום דלא עסקת בפריה ורביה. אמר לו וכולי
Dead ...
