Q&A: Reward and Punishment
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Reward and Punishment
Question
Have a good week!
According to your view, that secular people are not subject to commandments and transgressions, do they have reward and punishment? Will they have a share in the World to Come? And if so, what kind of World to Come will they have—good or bad?
Answer
I don’t know how to answer about the World to Come, and I don’t think anyone knows. I can speculate that they will receive reward for good deeds, even if those are not commandments.
Discussion on Answer
I assume so, but this is all mere speculation. I assume that the Holy One, blessed be He, will make excellent decisions even without my speculations, and I don’t see much point in discussing it.
According to the Rabbi’s view, would they receive reward for good deeds even if they do not do them מתוך recognition of the divine source of morality, but only because they think it is useful or they “feel” it is the right thing to do?
Thank you.