A fire came forth from before Hashem, and consumed them, and they died before Hashem.
The Gemara in Taanis (יא ע"א) expounds on the Passuk that says, א-ל אמונה ואין עול - Hashem is faithful and without injustice, as follows.
א-ל אמונה, כשם שנפרעין מן הרשעים לעולם הבא אפילו על עבירה קלה שעושין, כך נפרעין מן הצדיקים בעולם הזה על עבירה קלה שעושין. ואין עול, כשם שמשלמין שכר לצדיקים לעולם הבא אפילו על מצוה קלה שעושין, כך משלמין שכר לרשעים בעולם הזה אפילו על מצוה קלה שעושין. - 'Hashem is faithful'; just as the wicked are punished even for their minor sins in the World to Come, so too are the righteous punished even for their minor sins in this world. ‘And without injustice’; just as the righteous are rewarded even for their minor good deeds in the World to Come, so too are the wicked rewarded even for their minor good deeds in this world.
Although the Gemara’s intention is to emphasize the impartiality of Hashem’s Judgment, nevertheless it would seem that this concept alludes to just the opposite. This is in view of that which the Gemara in Kiddushin (לט ע"ב) teaches that שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא - the reward for mitzvos is not given in this world. The idea behind this notion is presumably because one cannot be adequately rewarded by means of the limited scope of pleasures that this world has to offer. Consequently, the righteous, who reap their reward in the World to Come, are rewarded the full measure of their reward, while the wicked, who reap their reward in this world, are only rewarded in partial measure.
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After speaking to the Jewish People, and describing to them the curses that would befall them if they were to sin, Moshe went on to tell them (פ' נצביםאתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ה' א-להיכם וכו' כט ט) - You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem...
Rashi (כט יב) explains that what Moshe was telling them was that, הקללות והיסורין מקיימין אתכם ומציבין אתכם לפניו - The curses and punishments are what keep you standing before Him. Rashi is explaining that Moshe was implying that it was necessary for the Jewish People to specifically hear the punishments for the transgressions, in order to keep them standing upright before Hashem.
This is very difficult to understand. Why would Hashem need to specifically detail the punishments in order to keep the Jewish People standing strong and righteous; could it not have been achieved just the same by encouraging them through describing the reward for their righteous behaviors?
It seems that the answer to this question is that materialistic rewards and incentives do not necessarily guide one to righteousness. On the contrary, directing one’s focus to materialistic rewards and gratifications might just tempt him to follow his heart towards achieving more and more worldly pleasures, which can clearly bring one to sinful behaviors. However, hearing the curses and punishments that one will bring upon himself by sinning will definitely keep him strong and righteous. Thus, it was indeed of great importance for the Jewish People to specifically hear the details of the punishments that their sins can bring about, in order ‘to keep them standing upright before Hashem’.
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In view of this we learn that pain and suffering is brought upon a person for one of two reasons. Initially, suffering is brought upon a sinner so that he should take note and repent from his sins. This is the same idea why one does not reap reward for his righteous behavior in this world; so that it should not draw him to focus on worldly pleasures, which in turn might tempt him to sin. However, once the sinner takes note and repents, the suffering that is brought upon him is atonement for his sins.
We can now understand why the wicked do indeed reap the reward for their good deeds in this world. This is because even the wicked initially do suffer some measure of pain, which was brought upon them so that they would take note and repent from their sinful behaviors. However, the wicked person chooses to ignore this message, for he does not wish to take this message to heart and leave his sinful ways. Henceforth, there is no longer any reason to bring suffering upon him, for the general motives of one’s suffering don’t apply to him. This is because the purpose of the initial suffering is for the sinner to take note and repent; this is obviously not relevant to him, as he explicitly chose to ignore this message. The subsequent suffering comes as atonement for one’s sins; this also does not apply to him, because one who openly chooses not to repent does not deserve any atonement. The sinner will consequently live a most pleasant and blissful life, free of any pain and suffering, and will thus consume, in this world, all reward that was destined for him in the World to Come.
(זרע שמשון פרשתנו אות ד)
