Of course unlike a mortal king the Almighty Hashem could undo the damage but He generally doesn’t interfere with the system He has fixed for the world. Just as apple trees don’t start producing peaches on demand and poison destroys even when it’s ingested accidentally so does a sin devastate the soul.

This is precisely why teshuvah is such a miraculous gift from Hashem for when done properly it can reverse the damages. Although mitzvos cannot remove a sin they can help facilitate the process of teshuvah. They may ease the way for the repentant make his teshuvah accepted more readily or grant him extra time to make amends.

There is one other way to absolve a sin: punishment. The Mishnah (Avos 3) uses a parable to depict how this works: The store is open for business the Merchant sells on credit the ledger lies open and the Hand records the transaction. All those who wish to borrow may come and do so but the agents make daily rounds to collect payment whether the person realizes it or not. They have ample evidence to rely upon and the judgment is accurate. And everything is in preparation for the banquet.

This mishnah describes sin and punishment. When a person transgresses Hashem’s Will it’s as if he’s taken merchandise on credit. He is living in Hashem’s world but he’s not paying his dues. Hashem may not call in the loan immediately but if he doesn’t repent payback time will eventually arrive. Hashem has many messengers — suffering pain and death — to collect His debts and the din is precise and incontestable.

Although these words seem bleak and sobering there’s a change in tone at the end: And everything is in preparation for the banquet.

As the Maharal puts it this mishnah’s parting message is that the goal of yissurim suffering is not retaliation. Punishment is not the act of an angry vengeful G-d. To the contrary its purpose is to awaken the sinner to repentance and to cancel his debt so he doesn’t remain in a defective state. The Av HaRachaman does exercise His compassion. He doesn’t give up on us. His goal is to enable man to earn his seat at the eternal banquet.

Punishment can take place in This World or the Next depending on the situation. What about reward?

In his introduction to his famous work the Mesillas Yesharim the Ramchal explains that the ultimate place of reward is in the World to Come: Man was created for the sole purpose of rejoicing in Hashem and deriving pleasure from the splendor of His Presence for this is true joy and the greatest pleasure that can be found. The place that this joy is attained is in Olam Haba… the means which lead a man to this goal are the mitzvos… the place of performance of mitzvos is only in this world.

The sechar of Olam Haba is unfathomable not only because it’s eternal but also because it’s qualitatively different from any experience we know. Rav Eliyahu Dessler described it in this manner: If we were to combine all the pleasures and joys that have been experienced in the history of the world by all people in all generations and on all occasions this cannot compare to a single whiff of Olam Haba.

Furthermore Chazal tell us that full sechar can only take place in the World to Come because there’s simply not enough currency in this world to repay a mitzvah. Imagine winning a 50 million dollar lottery and bringing the check to the bank. The teller may tell you that there isn’t enough money in the bank to cash the check. Similarly all the peace prosperity and pleasures of this world cannot adequately reward a mitzvah. It’s only in the eternal world of Olam Haba that payback can take place.

In the light of the above it’s puzzling that the passages in the Torah promising reward make no mention of an afterlife. They focus solely on happy consequences in this world. Parshas Bechukosai for example begins with these words: If you will go in My ways and observe My commandments I will provide rain…I will provide peace…I will make you fruitful.

The emphasis on material reward in the Written Law and the omission of spiritual reward is an enigma the commentaries explain in various ways.

The Ramban tells us that the Torah need not emphasize the existence of an afterlife because it’s obvious that the soul lives on after death. After all it is cheilek Eloka mi’maal a “portion of Hashem Above.” On the other hand kareis spiritual excision the most severe of all punishments is delineated in the Torah because the cutting off of a soul from its Source is unnatural and therefore must be spelled out.

The material rewards promised in the Torah are not the ultimate reward. In the Rambam’s view they are external motivators and facilitators. We need this help because for example it’s difficult to focus on avodas Hashem when one is fleeing from an enemy or scrounging for food. When a person makes efforts to serve Hashem properly He will enable him to continue to do so without distraction. This can be compared to a travelling salesman who is given an expense account. Since he’s on company business his employer pays for his food and lodging.

On the other hand sometimes an individual who is not working around the clock for the Boss still enjoys material success. In this case Hashem may be rewarding him in the currency that he values. Rav Pincus tells of a tourist in the desert who desperately needs water and at last finds a kiosk selling cold drinks for a dollar. To his dismay he discovers that he has no cash on him. He only has a check made out for $20 000. The owner of the kiosk doesn’t have the funds to cash it for him and he refuses to extend credit. What will the traveler decide? Will he give up $20 000 for a drink worth a dollar?

The answer of course depends on how thirsty he is.

Someone hungry enough for materialism and worldly pleasures may “decide” to take his reward here —a net loss of far more than $20000! This scenario is one solution to the age-old question of why evildoers sometimes prosper in Olam Hazeh.

Years ago I helped organize a conference on Jewish history for seminary students. At the closing session the participants were asked to assess the value of the gathering which had focused on the periods of persecution and destruction in our nation’s past.

I will never forget the simple swift response of one student: “I learned” she said “that Hashem punishes.”

This young lady may have been echoing the words of Rashi on the verse “Praiseworthy is the man who always fears” (Mishlei 28 14) — One who fears punishment will keep far away from sin.

The contemplation of din may not be our most comfortable thought. But it can help us arrive at the ultimate place of comfort and joy.

Sources include: The writings of Rav Chaim Friedlander Rav Shimshon Pincus Rav Moshe Shapiro and Rav Bentzion Epstein.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 503)