[Avodah] undeserved punishment?

[Mordechai Torczyner]

Shlomo Weidberg wrote:
"I think according to the strictest sense of midas hadin and kol
yisroel arevim zeh lazeh, then we are all deserving of misah if anyone
in klal yisroel does an aveirah. Like we find with Achan and Ai."

Ralbag says this explicitly on Achan and Ai, as part of his discussion of the apparent collective punishment. Note that this is not the same as the Shabbos 55a concept of shelo michu b'yadan; that indicts the tzibbur as assisting the ra, whereas Ralbag's concept is of a mystical union of the tzibbur, binding even those who in no way permitted or abetted the sin.

One problem, though: In Berachos 3b or so we have a discussion of what a Jew should do if he is suffering and he cannot find personal guilt. The gemara suggests that he blame bitul torah or yisurin shel ahavah - but it does not mention anything about looking at the chesronos of the tzibbur. Or is that included in yefashfesh b'maasav?

Be well,
Mordechai

--
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