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.
