Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, perek 26. This is Iyov’s 3rd response to Bildad, directly challenging his friend’s argument from the last perek.

Bildad had argued that certain things in life are preordained by the mazalos. Hashem wouldn’t change the entire way He set the rules of creation just so one tzaddik wouldn’t suffer or one rasha wouldn’t benefit. Hashem isn’t going to stop the rain that may benefit a rasha and inconvenience a tzaddik, so reward and punishment take place in the next world.

In the first part of this perek, Iyov uses Bildad’s argument to strengthen his own.

Verse 3 says, “Ma ya’atzta l’lo chochma v’sushiya larov hodata – You have actually promoted that which was supposedly without wisdom and have thus rendered by idea acceptable to most people.” Iyov saw a “gap” between Hashem and the rest of the world, which is why the world is run by mazalos. Hashem doesn’t intervene with the world and everything is preordained.

Bildad’s consent to the rule of mazalos, even limited in their capacity, inadvertently supports Iyov’s claim.

From verse 5 until the end until verse 14, the last passuk in the perek, Iyov explains the vastness of God.

Verse 7 quotes the famous passuk in our Yom Noraim tefilla, “Noteh tzafon al tohu, toleh eretz al bli-mah – He stretches the north in emptiness. He suspends earth upon nothingness.”

The Malbim explains Iyov as answering, “Bildad, according to your reasoning, Hashem wouldn’t interfere with the normal rules of creation which is why reshaim sometimes prosper and tzaddikim sometimes suffer. But even according to you, Hashem has the ability to punish and reward without changing the rules of creation. Hashem has other ways to intervene with the world to carry out His bidding. He can use rainwater to bring a flood as He did in the times of Noach.

As we see that Hashem doesn’t use alternative means, Iyov concludes that there is no hashgacha pratis or reward and punishment in the next world.

Alternatively, the Gemara in Chullin 89A says that the world is sustained in the merit of the Tzaddikim Moshe and Ahron who said “anachnu ma – we are nothing,” a lesson that the world only exists because of the true Tzaddikim.

The same Gemara says that the world exists in the merit of someone who remains quiet during an argument, as blima means nothingness. Both the Tzaddik and one who doesn’t argue back show great humility, considering themselves as nothing in front of Hashem. This gives validation to the world and the Creator who demonstrated His humility by constricting Himself, so to speak, in order to allow creation to exist.

Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily. We’ll see the second part in Iyovs response. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.