Iyov in the Era of the Judges: Understanding Hevel vs Divine Connection

Full Summary

Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing a Gemara (גמרא) in Bava Basra 15b that states Iyov lived during the era when judges ruled (yemei shfot hashoftim), which Rashi (רש"י) characterizes as a generation that was 'entirely hevel' (shekulo hevel). The shiur explores why this period is called hevel and how Iyov's message specifically addresses this concept. The era of the judges was characterized by corruption where even the judges themselves were reshaim - not incompetent, but disconnected from God. They administered Torah (תורה) law as merely a superior legal system rather than as a means of connecting to the Divine. This represents the ultimate hevel - treating divine law as just an improved way to run society rather than as a vehicle for relationship with God. Rabbi Zweig explains the fundamental difference between Jewish and non-Jewish approaches to mitzvos and reward. For non-Jews, mitzvos represent an elevated standard of living that earns reward - they ask 'mah katuv bah' (what is written there) because they evaluate Torah based on its merits as a system. For Jews, the basis is 'kol asher diber Hashem (ה׳) na'aseh' - we accept because God commanded, regardless of the system's merits. This creates different expectations of reward. Non-Jews expect reward in this world because reward, to them, is pleasure and elevated living - things best experienced in one's own space, separate from God. Jews understand that reward is closeness to God, which is ultimately achieved in Olam Haba. The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s statement that a ger is told 'Olam Haba ein oto ela latzadikim v'hein Yisrael' means that while non-Jews receive pleasure in Olam Haba, only Jews receive the 'sod' - the hidden aspect of true divine connection. The Gemara's discussion of Iyov being a 'chasid she'b'umot ha'olam' who became angry when he didn't receive worldly reward illustrates this difference. A non-Jewish righteous person legitimately expects reward in this world because, for him, reward is indeed pleasure and elevated living. When he suffers despite his righteousness, he has a valid complaint. Jews, however, understand 'hayom la'asot u'machar lekabel sachar' - that receiving reward in this world could lead to arrogance and forgetting that the goal is connection to God, not pleasure itself. The story of the nations rejecting Torah because of 'lo tirtzach' and 'lo tignov' makes sense in this context. These weren't complaints about the difficulty of the laws, but about the fundamental approach - non-Jews wanted to know if the system would benefit them, while Jews accepted based on God's command alone. Rabbi Zweig connects this to the need for Jewish monarchy. The judges' era represented hevel because even Torah scholars treated Torah as merely the best legal system rather than as connection to God. The melech's role is to ensure that the people understand Torah's true purpose - not just as superior living, but as the means to connect with the Divine. This explains why Dovid HaMelech was born on Shavuos, when we celebrate receiving the Torah - his monarchy would restore the proper understanding that Torah is about relationship with God, not just improved society.