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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Iyov and the Goodness of Life and Existence


1. It is contradictory to maintain that one's life and existence as a whole is bad and still seek to support life and existence or mourn its demise. Therefore,

2. If one does support life and existence they implicitly believe that life and existence is overall good. Therefore,

3. If one believes that life and existence as a whole is good then the question of theodicy is greatly weakened. Since the overall expression of God's creation is good, the existence of evil elements is not as troublesome. Therefore,

4. Iyov (Job) is the primal book of theodicy since after his suffering Iyov wishes he would have never lived, i.e. that life/existence is bad. 

מַדּוּעַ, קִדְּמוּנִי בִרְכָּיִם;    וּמַה-שָּׁדַיִם, כִּי אִינָק
 
לָמָּה לֹּא מֵרֶחֶם אָמוּת;    מִבֶּטֶן יָצָאתִי וְאֶגְוָע
כִּי-עַתָּה, שָׁכַבְתִּי וְאֶשְׁקוֹט;    יָשַׁנְתִּי, אָז יָנוּחַ לִי