Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Difficult Punishment

The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos (32b) states that a man's wife or children may die as a punishment for his own sin.  How is this to be understood?  Why would Hashem punish a woman and/or her children for a sin that someone else committed?

2 comments:

  1. Is your question on the whole concept of arvus as well?

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  2. No; it is understandable that every Jew is responsible to do his utmost on behalf of every other Jew. What is difficult to understand is how one Jew can be punished for a sin that was committed by another Jew.

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