DI VI NE RETRI BUTI ON FOR UNFORGI VABLE SI NS

[6:1] There are some verses in the Torah (five books of Moses) and Prophets that
seem to contradict this fundamental principle, that the human being has free
choice to do good or evil. Because of these verses, people think that God decrees
whether a person does good or evil. I will explain a fundamental principle of
faith to help you understand the true meaning of these verses. The rules that
govern divine retribution dictate that an individual or the people of a country who
sin consciously and willfully, must be punished. God is the judge. There are
certain sins for which the transgressor is punished in this world. Either he is
physically punished, or punishment is meted out to him through financial loss.
Sometimes he is punished with his young children who are not
yet bar/bat mitzvos, that they suffer with him, because young children are
considered his property. This is expressed in the verse, "Every man shall die for
his own sins." (Deuteronomy 24:16). This verse implies that only after one has
become "a man," (bar/bat mitzvah) will he not die for his father's sins. (Kesubos
8b).
There are other sins for which punishment is meted out in the World to Come,
and he is not punished for this sin while he lives
1
. There are other sins for which
one is punished both in this world and in the World to Come.
[6:2] The aforementioned punishments are meted out if the transgressor does not
repent, however, if he repents, his repentance acts as a protective shield against
punishment. Just as a person has the freedom to sin consciously and willfully, so
can he repent consciously and willfully.
BARRI ERS TO REPENTANCE
[6:3] A person may commit a grave sin or many sins, that deserve unusual
punishment, and God does not permit him to repent in order that he be (made an
example of) and punished for these specific sins. And so, speaking through
Yeshayahu, God says, "Dull that people's mind, stop their ears, and seal their
eyes, lest seeing with their eyes and bearing with their ears, they will grasp with
their minds, and repent and be healed." (Yeshayahu 6:10). Likewise it is written,
"But they mocked the messengers of God and disdained His words and taunted
His prophets, until the wrath of God against His people grew beyond remedy."
(Chronicles II, 36:16)
2
. The text implies that they willingly sinned to such an
extent that they were barred from the "remedy" of repentance. That is why it is
written, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart," (Exodus 14:4). Since Pharaoh sinned on
his own, causing hardship to the Jews who lived in his land, as it is written, "Let
us deal wisely with them." (Exodus 1:10), he deserved to be punished by not
being allowed to repent, and God hardened his heart.

1 This is referring to sins that are punished by not seeing the World to Come.
When he is so punished, he is paid in this world for the good that he has done,
and not punished for this sin. However, he may be punished in this world for
other misdeeds.
2 The verse describes the chain of events that led to the destruction of the first
Holy Temple (Beis Hamikdash).