Questions tagged [reward-punishment]
The concept of reward and punishment in Judaism- theologically, halachically, and philosophically
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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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Reducing aveiros vs increasing mitzvos
Is it more important to focus on reducing our aveiros than increasing our mitzvos? Does that depend on anything?
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Make a neder to forbid from oneself reward in the World to Come
I always understood that a neder is forbidding physical pleasure or benefit from oneself. I believe this is the common understanding. However, I saw a surprising statement of the Maharal in his ...
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Punishment, free will, and being an agent
I seem to recall (in the context of no one experiencing hurt/punishment unless Hashem decreed it) that those who are lacking in merit are used as instruments to punish others, so we pray to not be an ...
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What Torah issur did the meraglim transgress?
Since the meraglim sinned after the Torah has already been given, it'd seem that to be punished with death they would have had to transgress a Torah issur which carries the capital punishment (or misa ...
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Rape perpetrated by an adult male towards a girl under three years of age: halachic framework
In his Mishneh Torah -Issurei Biah 1:13, Rambam states that if a male copulates with a girl under the age of three,also the male,even if he was an adult, is exempt from liability, for the act is not ...
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The merits of the righteous save others from punishment (Sukkah 45b). How is this different from the idea of the Nazarene?
Gemoro Sukkah (Sefaria) 45b includes the concept of the merits of righteous people saving others from punishment:
And Ḥizkiya said that Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon
ben Yoḥai: I am ...
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Rav Kapach's commentary on the eighth chapter of Rambam's Mishneh Torah-Hilchot Teshuvah
I am an Italian ben Noach.
In the discussion
Does Rambam hold of eternal punishment?
I have read, in the user Alex's message, that according to Rav Kapah Rambam, in the eighth chapter of the Hilchot ...
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Forgiveness of Adam's sin
Why do we suffer for the sin not committed by us, is it not contrary to Ezekiel 18? Can we ask for this sin to be forgiven? and how do we repent from something we have no access to?
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Can one transfer someone else's sin onto himself?
Can one accept the consequences of someone else's actions?
It would seem unfair and unlikely that one would be able to accept someone else's rewards. If that is true, does it also apply to accepting ...
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Parallels in Sotah 11a and Shabbat 33b
I noticed yesterday that there are some similarities between the story brought in Sotah 11a and the one in Shabbat 33b. In Sotah 11a it says:
"Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Simai says: ...
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What is the punishment for a Jewish non-married woman who has relations with a non-Jewish man?
I have heard that the punishment is that she will forever be Zonah but I have no sources
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Punishment for not Studying the Torah
Does HaShem punish someone in this world for not studying the Torah ?
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Why prohibitions and their corresponding punishments are separated in the Torah?
I was arguing with a Documentary Hypothesis supporter who claimed that we consistently find that Biblical prohibitions and their punishments are not written in one place. The Ten Commandments are a ...
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Only Kohanim get reward for mitzvos in this world
There's a concept of שכר מצוות בהאי עלמא ליכא, there is no reward for mitzvos in this world (Kiddushin 39b). Much has been written on what this means and why it's true, but I found a innovative idea ...
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What was the reason for Job's original success and prosperity?
The book starts with the description of Job's piety and then his wealth and success:
... That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born ...
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Does one get punished for not keeping positve mitzvos?
Does one get punished for not keeping positive mitzvos? Or is it the case that you just do not get the reward for keeping them and punishments are for transgressing negative mitzvos?
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Why isn't Heavenly judgement final and exhaustive and requires Earthy retribution?
Many Biblical and Rabbinic sources speak of the Earthy retribution - a person suffers (is justly punished) in this Earthy world because of the sins of previous generations. For example,
"אֵל ...
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Can external actions reduce my "reward" for giving charity?
The Rambam lists 8 levels of giving charity, saying one is better than the next. I am assuming that there is some greater advantage to performing this mitzvah on a "higher" level, an idea ...
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Delayed Judgement on Rosh Hashana
I heard that the judgement determined on Rosh Hashana does not start to get carried out until some date after the chagim, possibly in Marcheshvan or later. Is anyone familiar with this teaching and ...
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Is it wrong to expect rewards for observance?
Many commentators have told us to perform the commandments for their own sake, out of love, not for the purpose of receiving rewards. The Rambam summarized this exhortation as follows :
"When I ...
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What exactly is "prohibited magic" in Judaism?
It appears that "magic" in most "modern" "western" civilizations is prohibited. But societies like those in China or Latin America or Africa have mentions of all kinds of ...
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Are thousands of generations to be accounted for literally?
Deuteronomy 5:10 ..."To those who keep His commandments...God's grace is extended to a thousand generations", Rashi's comment suggests when obeying out of fear.
Deuteronomy 7:9..."Those ...
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Source for story about a murdering son-in-law whose family was swallowed alive
I stumbled upon a really random story in the middle of a sefer on the Azharos of Rav Shlomo ibn Gabirol. The author says he heard it from his father. Since he was discussing the prohibition of murder, ...
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Midah Keneged Midah in the Punishment of an Entire Tzibur [i.e, Covid-19]
I was recently reading a controversial article on The Lakewood Scoop claiming that Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a punishment for the fact that we expelled anti-vaxxers from our Yeshivos and Mosdos ...
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What mitzvos are under the umbrella term מתן שכרה בצידה referenced in the Jerusalem Talmud Bava Basra
The gemara in the Jerusalem Talmud Bava Batra (cited here) refers to a collective set of commandments called "מתן שכרה בצידה", which I believe can be loosely translated as "reward given on the side" ...
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Was Yaakov lacking Bitachon?
When Yaakov becomes afraid of Eisav's arrival, the passuk says that he was very frightened. Chazal in Maseches Brachos note that he was afraid שמא יגרום החטא. Does this display a lack of Bitachon, ...
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High priest’s death pardoning criminals?
A Christian was telling me that in ancient Israel there was some rule about banishment and high priests, that Jesus is the ultimate high priest, that his death released everyone from sin.
What - if ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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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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 ...
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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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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 ...
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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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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 ...
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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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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 ...
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Does the plain text of the Torah support the view that "It would have been preferable had man not been created"?
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה נֶחְלְקוּ בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּבֵית הִלֵּל. הַלָּלוּ אוֹמְרִים: נוֹחַ לוֹ לְאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁנִּבְרָא, וְהַלָּלוּ אוֹמְרִים: נוֹחַ לוֹ לְאָדָם ...
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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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