Last week we learned how Balak hired Bilaam to curse klal Yisroel, but we know that his plan failed and all Bilaam’s curses turned into blessings. However, before Bilaam left, he told Balak, “Listen, I have a foolproof idea that will cause the downfall of the Jews; get them to sin with immorality. If you succeed to make them sin, the Shechinah will turn away from them and you will be able to win over them.
Unfortunately, this new plan succeeded, so much so that a nasi from shevet Shimon sinned and aroused Hashem’s anger. Twenty-four thousand people died, until Pinchas stood up and killed Zimri and Cuzbi, bringing the plague to an end.
Rav Elya Lopian says a yesod, that when there is din in this world then there is no din above, and when there is din above then there is no din below. (k’sheyesh din l’mata ain din l’maala – uki’shyesh din l’maala ain din l’mata) He says, let’s say a person stole an ox or a sheep and he slaughtered it or sold it - the halacha is he has to pay five times the amount for the ox and four times for the sheep. This halacha makes no differentiation whether the thief is very poor and the victim is rich, or the opposite. In a case where the thief is poor and the victim is rich, you would think maybe bais din should be lenient with the thief’s punishment. After all, he was very poor, he had nothing to eat, and the victim is so rich that he even wouldn’t feel that something was stolen from him! But no, the halacha makes no allowance for the poor thief; he has to pay exactly what the Torah says, either four or five times the amount of the animal.
Now, how about the opposite? What if the thief was rich and the victim was poor? It would seem then that maybe we should be very harsh on the rich thief and he should have to pay nine or ten times! After all, this wealthy thief is terribly cruel - He is so rich, he lacks nothing, and still he has the cruelty to steal from a pauper! Maybe beis din should even kill such a thief because he literally stole the bread of a pauper! But no, the halacha is still the same – he would have to pay back four or five times. Beis din doesn’t differentiate between a rich man or a poor man; for the act of stealing, both get punished equally. In this world, it’s one psak for everyone.
However, bais din shel maalah works differently. Hashem knows the minds and hearts of every person, and Hashem alone judges each person differently. Two people may have committed the exact same sin, yet the psak will be different for each of them, based on who they are, where they’re coming from, what their motives were, and so on.
Says Rav Elya Lopian, we see that judgements are different in this world than in heaven. However, once a person is punished by bais din down here, even if up there he would’ve deserved much worse, once our bais din punishes him, he’s free from judgement. If this person doesn’t receive his punishment down here, then when he gets “upstairs” he might have a much harsher punishment awaiting him. We see that it’s so worth it to receive our punishments down here.
Pinchas got angry and punished the sinners in this world, and that saved klal Yisroel. If we stand up for chilul k’vod shomayim and take revenge on people who sin, that saves us from din. However, if chas v’shalom we are quiet down here, then in shomayim they have to punish and many times it will be much harsher.
Says Rav Elya, if a person makes a cheshbon hanefesh every day and tries to figure out his ruchniyus, where he is in connection to Hashem, what he could do better, it what area does he need chizuk, etc. then it’s as if he’s making a din for himself down here. And, as we learned, when there is a din below, there is no din above. The more a person makes a din for himself down here, the more he saves himself from din above.
It's well known that the Chofetz Chaim at times would make a chiton hanefesh and say, “Yisroel Meir, Yisroel Meir, what’s with you?” He analyzed himself often, taking note of where he was holding in avodas Hashem and what he felt needed improvement. And this was the Chofetz Chaim! What can we say?
If a person doesn’t make a cheshbon hanefesh and ask himself, “What am I doing?” then Heaven will have to send him reminders. Making a daily cheshbon hanefesh is the most worthwhile investment ever; it will save you from the din above.
