More Discussions for this daf
1. Mothers-in-law 2. Why was daughter in law killed by fire 3. Tzara'as on Leather Garments
4. Tum'ah of 3 by 3 Beged Not Made of Wool 5. קרא שאין מדליקים בטבל
DAF DISCUSSIONS - SHABBOS 26

M. Schwimmer asked:

Sreifa for znus is limited to Isha u'Bitah and to the daughter of a Cohen.

What indication do we have that this was the case in this incident?

M. Schwimmer Brooklyn USA

The Kollel replies:

That is an interesting point. The premise for your question is presumably the Gemara in Kesuvos (30a) which states that although Beis Din no longer has the authority to execute people, Hash-m finds a way to punish a person in a manner similar to the death he deserves. One who deserves to be punished with Sereifah will die by fire etc.

However, that does not mean that every person who dies is being punished with one of the Misos Beis Din. We know that Hash-m gives man free choice, and if he chooses to harm a righteous person, the righteous person may suffer, unjustly, at the hands of the wicked. (See for example the Zohar cited by Mar'eh Cohen to Shabbos 22a; this is not related to the Gemara on 55a which discusses if there is death without sin since that Gemara is again referring to death at the hands of heaven, and not death through murder.)

In the case of the mother in law who was killed by (or killed, according to Dikdukei Sofrim) her daughter in law, there is no reason to assume that she died due to her sins. Rather, she was prematurely put to death by her evil relative.

Best wishes,

Mordecai Kornfeld

Harry asks:

By this understanding then Hashem has no say when a person dies unless it's from natural causes? Does that mean the 3,000 people who died in 9/11 were killed and there was no devine plan involved? does this mean we should pray to Bin Laden not to kill us instead of Davening to Hashem? Where does this line of reasoning end?