It's like we're trying to soften the blow, to create a little distance between the person and the negative action. Well, it turns out this isn't just a quirk of human interaction; it's a principle that some scholars see reflected even in the way the Torah talks about God.
Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of Alexandria, noticed something fascinating in the text. He pointed out that when the Torah speaks of "his way," without explicitly stating "the way of God," it's often referring to the degradation of humanity. Why the omission? Philo suggests that God’s name isn’t mentioned in connection with evil. He sees this pattern repeated in several places, arguing that the Lord doesn't associate His name with punishments and curses. You can see this idea explored in Philo’s works "On the Confusion of Tongues" and "On Migration and Encounter."
Now, it’s true that Philo does acknowledge instances where God seems to punish directly, without an intermediary – you can find examples in "On the Life of Moses" I, 97, referencing Exodus 12:23, and also in his response to Exodus I, 23, as well as Genesis 3:22 and his commentary on Genesis I, 55. But the overall trend, he believes, is clear.
This idea echoes a teaching from Rabbi Yochanan, passed down by Rabbi Eliezer ben Pedat. Rabbi Yochanan says God's name is mentioned only in connection with good, never with evil. How can we know this? Look at the creation story! As Genesis 1:5 tells us, "And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night." God names the light, but simply calls the darkness.
Similarly, when God created Adam and Eve, His name is invoked in blessing, as we see in Genesis 48:16, "And may God bless them." But when they are cursed, His name is absent. According to the Talmud Bavli, Tazria 12, the Holy One, blessed be He, prefers to act through an angel when it comes to enacting evil. It’s as if God wants to keep a certain distance, a separation between His essence and the negative consequences of actions. (See also Genesis 19:12-13 and Exodus 12:23, and the commentary of Rabbi Hayyim ben Attar.)
Rabbi Hayyim ben Attar puts it beautifully: "From this we learn that the Torah's ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring punishment without mentioning His name. Similarly, when it says 'and He destroyed all living things,' it does not say 'and God destroyed all living things'" (Rabbi Hayyim ben Attar, Genesis 7:11). He offers further examples throughout his commentary.
So, what does this all mean? Perhaps it speaks to a profound understanding of God's nature – a desire to emphasize the good, to elevate the positive, and to distance the Divine from the harsh realities of punishment and suffering. It's a subtle but powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, there's always room for grace, for hope, and for the possibility of redemption. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the delicate dance between justice and mercy that lies at the heart of Jewish thought.