Pensée juive sur Les Psaumes 73:3

This should resolve the dilemma of "the righteous man who suffers, and the wicked man who prospers." As to the verse (Psalms 73:3): "For I was envious of the revelers; I saw the prosperity of the wicked" — this is to be understood as a lament over the actuation of this principle and not as an expression of ignorance as to its existence. The same applies to (Ibid 13-14): "It is but in vain that I have purified my heart and washed my hands in cleanliness. For I have been afflicted all the day and chastised every morning." It is as if to say: if the essence and end of requital were the goods and evils of this world, one would perfect his deeds in vain unless he attained an exalted eminence by which nature would be changed for his sake. But so long as the world follows its natural pattern, the good man will be visited with pain and suffering. Since, however, the ultimate, essential requital is that for the soul in the world to come, no dilemma remains here, for every deed will there be brought to "the accounting house." And this is the intent of (Ibid 21-22): "For my heart was embittered; my reins were pricked. And I was foolish and did not know… (Ibid 17): …until I entered the sanctuary of the Almighty — then I understood their end." That is, the distribution of reward and punishment in this world is confounding. One cannot discern in it the justice of the Blessed One's judgments, but must remain foolish, beast-like, in contemplating them — until he comes and sees what the Blessed One has stored away for the righteous and for the wicked, at which time he will understand their end. For it is there and not in this world that the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked is revealed. And this itself is the intent of the sealer of the epoch of prophecy (Malachi 3:13-14): "'Your words have been strong against Me,' says the L-rd. And you say: 'What have we spoken against You?' You have said: 'It is vain to serve G-d, and what profit is it that we have kept His charge and walked darkly before the L-rd of hosts?'" And Malachi concludes (Ibid 18): "'And they shall be mine,' says the L-rd of hosts, 'on that day which I choose… and you will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves G-d and one who does not." That is, the ultimate and essential requital will take place in the world to come. But it is possible that in this world the wicked man may live in repose and the good man suffer adversity under his governing mazal. As stated by our sages of blessed memory (Sabbath 156a): "One born under the moon will suffer much evil." And this, in fact, stands to reason. For since the spheres exert their influence on this terrestrial world, it follows that they should produce a corresponding effect. And there is no cause for wonder in anything of a material nature being subject to this ordinance. What does require explanation is how characteristics of the soul can be subject to this ordinance if the soul itself is not subject to it but to that which is higher than it.