Nach Daily

Iyov Perek 28 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

Iyov Perek 27 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

Iyov perek 26 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

Iyov Perek 25 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

Iyov Perek 24 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, Perek 23. This is Iyov’s 3rd response to Elifaz.

The Malbim explains that Tsofar had essentially made two points. One, the righteous suffer because it’s Hashem's way of testing them, to raise them up to a higher level of serving Him, not merely for the sake of reward and punishment. Hashem purifies the righteous through suffering in order to give them more reward in the World to Come.

Two, the reason why the wicked prosper is to allow free choice to remain intact. If people were punished and rewarded immediately for their actions, free choice would be obstructed because the results would be obvious. People's intentions of serving God would not be for the sake of serving Him, but to avoid punishment.

In this perek Iyov directly responds to the first argument and addresses the second point in the next chapter. He first questions how God would inflict him with such serious physical and emotional pain just because he may have harbored a tad of selfishness in his heart and not have served Him l’shem Shamayim to the utmost. After all, did Iyov not try his best to keep the Torah? Certainly the punishment doesn't fit the “crime.”

Iyov explains that if he had the ability to speak with God, he would have said that he wasn't serving Him due to ulterior motives. He was trying his best to serve God with sincerity.

Iyov concludes, based on his own experience, that the very fact he was righteous to begin with must have been preordained, which is why he wasn't rewarded for it. Iyov believed that he was left to the mercy of blind fate to suffer. As we mentioned in the beginning of the sefer, he felt at the whim of the mazalos.

In verses 1 through 9, Iyov relates that if he only knew where to find God he would explain his intentions. If he could actually find God’s “dwelling place” he would go there and “plead” his case.

The Malbim explains that Iyov is essentially saying 3 things. 1. It's not possible to argue my case to God and have him respond to my arguments. 2. Even if God would be able to answer me I wouldn’t understand his language. 3. Even if I would be able to understand God's language I wouldn't be able to understand the inner essence of what He’s saying because He is way beyond me.

Iyov claims that if God were to test him, he would pass in judgement. He says in verse 10, “Ki yada derech imadi b’chanani k’zahav eitsei - For He knows the road I take. Should He test me, I would come out pure as gold.” Iyov asserts his righteousness, saying that he kept the Torah, did not deviate from it, and tried his best to internalize its lessons.

The Malbim explains that with this Iyov is really denying Hashgacha Pratis, saying that everything in life is preordained. Inasmuch as God knows that he would be good, he didn't really have any free choice to begin with. He’s not rewarded at all for his good deeds because it doesn't make a difference anyway.

In verses 14 until the end of the perek, Iyov admits that there were moments when he did serve God for ulterior motives, for his own selfish needs. Nevertheless, these were just fleeting moments. The punishments he received are excessive. He laments that God left him to suffer in darkness.

Stay tuned to the next episode of Nach Daily, when Iyov addresses the second point of rasha v’tov lo.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, Perek 22. This begins the 3rd round of debates between Iyov and his friends.

We still have two unanswered questions of Tzaddik v’ra lo and Rasha v’tov lo - why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?

The Malbim explains that Eliphaz comes up with a new response to these questions. Hashem purposely does not usually reward the righteous or punish the wicked in this world per se because He wants us to serve Him for His own sake, and not for reward and punishment. If people would be rewarded in this world, their motivation for serving God would only be to attain more reward.

The Malbim explains that when you serve God for a reward, you’re just serving yourself. We are supposed to keep the mitzvos for their own sake, to fulfill the word of the Creator. Hashem doesn't want our behavior to be motivated by reward and punishment.

It goes without saying that if we would be immediately punished or rewarded every time we did something good or bad, we would cease to have free choice. God thus purposely hides His providence to allow for free choice and reward and punishment.

The ability to deny Divine providence is built into the world so that we can say that the world is static and there is no Hashgacha Pratis. Hashem purposely hid Himself to weed out who’s really serving Him with truth, sincerity, and honesty, versus who’s not.

The Malbim continues to explain that this bolsters Elifaz’s initial assertion that the righteous will receive reward in the World to Come, while the reshaim will be punished there. With this, Eliphaz seems to reestablish himself over Iyov.

In verse 2 it asks, “Can a man be of benefit to God? The man of insight benefits Himself!” Eliphaz questions the value of receiving an immediate reward. Serving God for reward and punishment is like serving ones’ self!

This is something I often wonder about. Why do they primarily teach schar v’enosh, reward and punishment, to kids in school? Although it is true, it’s the lowest form of serving God. In fact, it’s a selfish way of serving Hashem. We’re supposed to do mitzvos and keep the Torah because that's what God wants! We have the ability to serve Him. What can be better than that?

Eliphaz in verse 5 proceeds to tell Iyov that he’s not as innocent as he thinks. “Your wickedness is great, and there’s no limit to your sins.”

In verses 11 through 21, Eliphaz tells Iyov that he is mistaken in how he believes the world works. The Malbim explains that Iyov saw the wicked thriving, which led him to believe that the world must be bad. Iyov was judging Divine providence by the same standards used to judge the humans around him. This is incorrect, because God does not operate in the same way that people do.

Eliphaz shows how in certain ways Hashem allowed the people of the generation of the flood to receive goodness although they were acting directly against Him. He uses this to demonstrate that Hashem doesn't necessarily punish the wicked right away.

In verse 21 through the end of the perek, Eliphaz explains the value of serving Hashem l’shem Shamayim, for the sake of God alone. Then it's actually enjoyable and delightful. Torah no longer looks like a burden and God no longer seems scary. You’re able to delight in Him, face Him in prayer, and He will be your fortress.

May we merit serving God like a servant who does not serve his master for reward. Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily for Iyov’s response.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, Perek 21. This is the 13th response in the Sefer and Iyov’s second answer to Tzofar.

The Malbim explains that in responding to Tzofar, Iyov is actually addressing all of his friends’ arguments on why the wicked prosper. Iyov feels that his friends have mistreated him with words as sharp as arrows. As Iyov’s friends think of him as a wicked sinner, his troubles make sense to them because he fits into their general view of human suffering.

Iyov opens the perek by telling them, in verse 2, to listen carefully to what he says. Iyov maintains that the question of why humans suffer and the wicked succeed applies not only to him, but to all of humanity.

In verse 4, Iyov asks, “Was my discussion restricted to any one individual?” The Malbim explains this as saying that if there were no others who felt that they were going through pain with no reason, perhaps they’d be correct. But the bottom line is that they can't be so dismissive of me because there are so many people in the world who feel that they are suffering for no reason. I’m not the only one.

In the previous arguments, Elifaz, Tzofar and Bildad didn't address the fact that others might feel the same way as Iyov. Elifaz has claimed that the wicked live in perpetual fear, Bildad explained that the wicked and their children will die prematurely, while Tzofar maintained that the wicked die and descend into the netherworld. Tzofar thought this a good thing because we don't really know who’s wicked and who’s righteous.

Iyov now pokes holes in each argument by showing the many exemptions to their rules about suffering. All that is needed is to look around and ask other people how they feel. They will certainly corroborate and validate his experience.

In verse 8 Iyov says “Zarom nachon lifneihem imom v’tseitsehem l’eineihem - They see their children established and by their side, and also see their children's children.” The Ramban explains this as a response to Iyov’s friends who said if the wicked don't experience their downfall, their children surely will. Iyov counters that you can find many reshaim who not only prosper personally, but their offspring and grandchildren do as well!

The Berishis Rabba 36:1 explains, based on this passuk, that the generation of the flood was granted contentment as a way for Hashem to increase their guilt. The Medrash asks in what way were they content, and answers, bringing our passuk, that they saw their descendents succeed.

I once saw the following idea in the Mei Sheloach. Only people with Emunah get tested in that area. Hashem allows people who don't have any faith to pass that test, often with less severe hardships. Someone who actually has Emunah, however, is frequently tested by Hashem and can live a life with much suffering.

This is something that's really counterintuitive. One would think that those with Emunah wouldn't suffer as much, yet this is saying that one with Emunah tested even more! [May we increase our Emunah in Hashem and not back down no matter what He sends our way.]

Iyv goes on to explain, throughout the perek, that it would be beneficial for reshaim to be punished and experience prolonged punishments, but we see that things don't work that way.

In verse 29, he asks, “Have you not asked a passerby? You cannot dismiss their proofs.” There are obviously many exceptions to his friends’ rules, which leads Iyov to conclude that their arguments are not valid.

This concludes the second round of heated debates between Iyov and his friends.

Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily, when we’ll be beginning the 3rd round.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Iyov Perek 20 by Rabbi Shaya Sussman, LCSW

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