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Punishment in the next world and prohibitions in this world.

ResponseCategory: FaithPunishment in the next world and prohibitions in this world.
Eli asked 3 weeks ago

peace! 
What is the purpose of punishing the soul in the next world? After all, punishment comes to keep it away, to warn against the next time. 
And why is it that innocent children under the age of one who have done nothing can suffer from all kinds of diseases? 
I don't understand this. I would appreciate an explanation from you or some logical course of action for these issues.  
 
Thank you very much in advance.

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1 Answer
Michi Staff answered 3 weeks ago
  1. Regarding punishment in the afterlife, I have no explanation. I have written here more than once in the past that there is a debate about threatening people with punishment, but there is no reason to actually punish them. After all, no one in the world knows that someone is being punished, so it is not a deterrent. So the most logical thing to do is to threaten without carrying out the punishment. If the punishment is a result of the sin and not a separate decision, then perhaps it is understandable. But really, who said there is punishment in the afterlife? Maybe there isn't.

2. Regarding evil and suffering in the world, search here on the site about evil in the world, human evil and natural evil. I explained it well.

Pine replied 3 weeks ago

But if the purpose of punishment is not only deterrence, but also justice, doesn't it make sense to punish in the afterlife? Do you think it's not reasonable to assume that the purpose of punishment is also justice?

Michi Staff replied 3 weeks ago

That's what I wrote.

Eli replied 3 weeks ago

From the answers you wrote about suffering in this world, I understand what you are saying. These are the laws of the world and these laws can also cause suffering. "You can't choose a triangle with 4 corners." My argument is why didn't you establish other, better laws in advance that can't cause suffering?

Michi Staff replied 3 weeks ago

I explained that there too.

Eli replied 3 weeks ago

If the laws are strict and God cannot intervene in the laws of nature, then what use are prayers, etc., for example, for illnesses?

Michi Staff replied 3 weeks ago

Who said he can't? Of course he can. I've explained the matter of prayers in the past in several places. Only now was there also a question in the Responsa about the matter.

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