Silence Golden?
‘Iyov, Who Was Silent…’
(Sanhedrin 106a)
Our Gemara relates that Pharaoh had three advisers whom he consulted on how to deal with the increasing Israelite population. Bilam, who advised to drown all Jewish males; Iyov, who was silent (offering no counsel); and Yisro, who fled.
Bilam, for his wicked counsel, received like punishment – he was slain during the Israelite battle against Midian (Bamidbar 31:8). Iyov, for his silence, was punished through constant physical suffering. Yisro, who fled, risking all his greatness (his high position) rather than be complicit in Pharaoh’s desired genocide, was rewarded with descendants – judges – who sat on the Sanhedrin.
Measure For Measure
Aruch La’ner (ad. loc.) explains Iyov’s suffering as a fitting punishment for his sin. Our sages (Mishna Sotah 8b) explain that G-d rewards as well as punishes an individual measure for measure. This, of course, is reflected both in one’s behavior toward G-d as well as toward man (infra, Sotah 9b). He explains that since Iyov failed to “cry out” in protest over the ruthless decree, he was made to suffer in like measure, causing him to “cry out” in agonizing pain.
Dealing With The Futile
The Brisker Rav, Rabbi Velvel Soloveitchik (Kisvei Ha’griz to Sotah 11, first edition, 53) contrasts Iyov with Yisro. Why be so harsh with Iyov? Surely if he saw that Yisro had fled rather than be an accomplice to genocide, is that not reflective of what he perceived as the futility of any type of challenge to the evil Pharaoh? The Brisker Rav answers that nevertheless, Iyov’s silence represented total indifference, a lack of empathy for another’s pain. Thus, if he felt no pain for another’s suffering, then G-d made sure that he would experience that pain. Even if his “crying out” on behalf of the Israelites might not have alleviated their plight, nevertheless it would have demonstrated true compassion to feel their pain as his own.
Proactive
When one contrasts Yisro and Iyov, why indeed was Yisro so much more deserving of a reward – and in fact a reward that elevated his progeny to positions of such outstanding importance? The Brisker Rav explains that the positive action on Yisro’s part to flee and thereby sacrifice his high position was commensurate with such a high reward. Indeed, it was truly middah k’neged middah that his descendents attained such high positions.
