Sa’adia Gaon offers in his Emunot V’De’ot (5:3) that some righteous people suffer in this life as a consequence of those few sins they had committed — thus underscoring the idea that there’s justice indeed and that no one can avoid it. And he says that sometimes the fully righteous suffer too, to be sure. But that’s only so that their faith might be tested and that their passing that test and affirming their faith would serve as a shining example to others. And also so that we’d come to know just why they were chosen by God (to serve Him especially closely and to lead the people).
(c) 2014 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.
You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.