The ancient rabbis grappled with these questions too, and sometimes their answers can surprise us. to a passage from Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah), a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Leviticus. In chapter 15, the text opens with a rather stark statement connected to the verse, "a man, if he will have on the skin of his flesh" (Leviticus 13:2) which begins the laws of leprosy. The passage immediately connects this to Proverbs 19:29: “Punishments are prepared for cynics.” Ouch!
But what does leprosy have to do with cynicism? The midrash (rabbinic interpretation) uses an analogy to explain. Imagine someone riding a donkey. Sometimes the donkey behaves, sometimes it doesn't. You might strike it when it misbehaves, but sometimes, inexplicably, you strike it even when it's being good. According to this interpretation, that's cynicism - punishment without cause. However, here, it is for the cynics that punishments and blows are prepared.
The passage continues with a story of a noblewoman who enters the king’s palace. She sees whips hanging and becomes afraid. The king reassures her, saying, "Fear not, those are for the slaves and maidservants, but you will eat, drink, and rejoice." When Israel heard the portion of leprosy, they were afraid, too. Moses, in this interpretation, says to them: "Fear not, these are for the nations of the world, but you will eat, drink, and rejoice," quoting Psalms 32:10: “There are many pains for the wicked, but one trusting in the Lord, kindness surrounds him.”
So, the initial fear associated with disease is transformed into a message of reassurance. It's a reminder that divine justice, while sometimes seemingly harsh, is ultimately tempered with kindness for those who trust in God.
Now, the narrative shifts to a poignant scene involving Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a central figure in the compilation of the Mishnah (the foundation of rabbinic law), and Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei. They are studying the Book of Lamentations on the eve of Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, a day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This particular year it coincided with Shabbat.
Lamentations, traditionally read on Tisha B'Av, is a series of poems lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. The chapters are arranged in alphabetical acrostics. According to the text, the rabbis didn’t complete one alphabetical acrostic before nightfall. They planned to finish the next day, but Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi stumbled, injuring his small finger. He then said about himself: “There are many pains for the wicked.”
Rabbi Yishmael, however, offers a different interpretation. He suggests that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s suffering wasn't necessarily a result of his own sins, but rather a consequence of the sins of the entire generation. He references Lamentations 4:20: “The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was captured in their traps,” implying that the leader of the generation can suffer for the sins of the people.
This is a powerful idea, isn't it? The leader bears the weight of the community, even to the point of experiencing their collective pain. It's a reminder of the interconnectedness of our lives and the responsibility we have for one another.
The passage then details how Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi treated his wound, providing insights into Jewish law (halakha) regarding the observance of Shabbat. Rabbi Yishmael observed three things about the way Rabbi Yehuda treated his wound: that a sponge does not absorb, but rather, it protects the wound, that one may tie over it a reed from the house because it is prepared and one may read the sacred Writings only from the afternoon onward. From these observations, Rabbi Yishmael deduced various rules about what is and isn’t permissible on Shabbat. For example, the passage explains that one may use a reed that was already in the house (and therefore not muktze – set aside), but one may only read the sacred writings from the afternoon onward, as it was already late in the afternoon.
The passage concludes with a final thought, quoting Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Tanhum of Basra in the name of Rabbi Yirmeya: "Even one who was wicked but repented, the Holy One blessed be He accepts him, as it is stated: “But one trusting in the Lord, kindness surrounds him” (Psalms 32:10)."
So, what can we take away from this seemingly disparate collection of stories and interpretations? Perhaps it's a reminder that even in the face of suffering, there is always hope for redemption. That even when we feel like we're being punished unfairly, there is kindness and compassion available to us. And that even the most righteous among us are not immune to the pain and suffering of the world. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of trust, repentance, and the enduring power of kindness.