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Why does the Rambam (רמב"ם) distinguish between immediate destruction and the judgment of Rosh Hashanah? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod that Hilchos Teshuvah distinguishes two frameworks: natural spiritual balance (where a negative force self-destructs) versus formal divine judgment (where consequences follow accountability). The Raavad's question—that we see wicked people alive—misses that judgment aims not at survival but at earning our existence through committed avodah.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the opening halachos of the Rambam (רמב"ם)'s Hilchos Teshuvah, which define tzaddik (righteous), benoni (intermediate), and rasha (wicked) based on whether one's merits (zechuyos) outweigh sins (avonos). The Rambam applies this framework to individuals, cities, and the entire world, stating that when sins predominate, immediate destruction (miyad) follows. The Raavid challenges this: if the wicked are destroyed immediately, why do we observe many wicked people living long lives? The Kesef Mishneh attempts to answer the Raavid by arguing that the Rambam's judgment is qualitative (based on Hashem (ה׳)'s evaluation) rather than quantitative, and thus our empirical observations don't contradict the principle. However, Rabbi Zweig identifies several difficulties with this approach: First, the Rambam explicitly brings pesukim (Sodom and Amorah, the Generation of the Flood) that clearly refer to destruction in this world, not merely consequences in the World to Come. Second, if the source of this halacha (הלכה) is the Gemara (גמרא) in Kiddushin about viewing oneself as half-meritorious and half-guilty, why does the Rambam only cite that Gemara later (halacha 4), after discussing Rosh Hashanah, rather than as the immediate basis for halachos 1-2?
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Hilchos Teshuvah 3:1-4
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