The Torah lists many harsh punishments for transgressing various commandments. Among the punishments are capital punishment carried out in various different methods including stoning and burning. The Torah also mandates lashes for other transgressions. 

Though all of the Torah's capital punishments or corporal punishments have been discontinued over 2,000 years ago and are therefore not carried out by Jews today, the question still remains; why are the Torah's punishments so harsh? Isn't G-d loving, caring and forgiving even to sinners?