Q&A: The People of Israel Know
The People of Israel Know
Question
The Jewish people know that there is nothing to idolatry; they only sought to permit themselves sexual immorality.
At first glance, it seems explicit from the Talmud that those who worshipped idolatry or committed other prohibitions in those days (apparently sexual transgressions as well) knew what was right, and therefore it makes sense to punish them for it. But nowadays, when people do not really know what the right thing to do is (when it does not harm other people), it would not make sense to punish them, and perhaps they are also less guilty…
A kind of unintentional sinner / someone acting under compulsion.
Am I right?
Answer
I didn’t understand. Do you mean to ask whether nowadays, someone who denies the truth—not because he wants to commit adultery—is liable to punishment? I have written more than once about coercion in matters of belief. In my opinion, he is exempt. More than that: in my opinion, his commandments are not commandments, and his transgressions are not transgressions.