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Why does the Torah (תורה) punish the families of those who oppress orphans and widows? The person lacks sensitivity because his own family never expressed appreciation for him, leaving him unable to understand others' emotional vulnerability. When wives and children fail to make fathers feel valued, it creates insensitivity that harms society's most vulnerable.
Rabbi Zweig begins by discussing Parshas Mishpatim's prohibition against oppressing widows and orphans, focusing on the Torah (תורה)'s seemingly harsh punishment: 'I will kill you, and your wives will become widows, and your children orphans.' He presents Rashi (רש"י)'s question - why does the Torah need to state the obvious consequences of death? Rashi explains that the punishment involves the person dying without their body being found, preventing the wife from remarrying and the children from inheriting. Rabbi Zweig raises a profound theological difficulty: why should innocent family members receive additional punishment for someone else's sin? This goes against the principle that children don't get punished for their fathers' transgressions. He distinguishes between natural consequences (fallout from one's actions) versus direct additional punishment imposed on the family.
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Parshas Mishpatim 22:21-23
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