Q&A: Thief and Robber
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Thief and Robber
Question
Do you think that today, when there is no divine providence in the world, the law of a thief would be the same as the law of a robber? Let’s say even that he agrees with you that there is no divine providence in the world, but he is still a religious person and all that. After all, either way the Holy One, blessed be He, is not watching over things, so what difference does it make whether he stole secretly or robbed openly?
Answer
First, we do not derive Jewish law from the stated reason of the verse. Second, there is no active providence (intervention in the world), but there is passive providence. The difference between a thief and a robber is fear of the Holy One, blessed be He—that is, fear of His passive providence.