Purpose of Punishment
 
Moshe Ben-Chaim
 
 
Question: I understand that today we are under the punishment that was told in Devarim "And if you do not follow my word i will turn my back" Meaning God would remove his hashgacha and we would be left under laws of nature. Isnt that better for us? We behave so horribly that it seems better not to have god's hashgacha. After all we'd be punished harshly if we were under hashgacha.
 
Mesora: Our existence without hashgacha (Divine Providence) will demonstrate to the other nations that our entire existence is determined by G-d. Meaning, all of the horrible punishments outlined in Devarim would not normally happen to another people not aligned with G-d. When the other nations see our utter destruction, as stated in Megilas Eicha, it is a testament to the words of the Torah, specifically, the words of the tochacha, the rebuke, that they now are coming true.
So even our downfall is a testament to the truth of Torah. We are not left to the laws of nature when the people sin as a whole, perhaps only by individuals.


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