Daily Zohar # 4776 – Beshalach – We pay debts, sooner or later

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beshalach
Continued from previous DZ
#191
Rabbi Chiya said that Job was afflicted only when Israel left Egypt. Job said: “If so, all faces are equal—He destroys the blameless and the wicked.” (Job 9:22). Pharaoh oppressed Israel and said:  “מִי ה’ אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ” “Who is Hashem (YHVH) that I should listen to His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). But I neither oppressed them nor did I do anything wrong, yet I was punished. “He destroys the blameless and the wicked.” This is as it is written: “הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה’ מֵעַבְדֵי פַּרְעֹה” “He who feared the word of Hashem among Pharaoh’s servants…” (Exodus 9:20)—this refers to Job, for he lived at the time of the Exodus from Egypt.

#192
Rabbi Yehuda said: These hailstones that fell upon the Egyptians and were held back by Moshe later executed retribution in the days of Joshua. And in the future, the remaining ones will descend upon Edom and their allies.
Rabbi Yossi said: This is as it is written: “כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת”
“As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.” (Micah 7:15).

Notes:
The divine judgments from the Exodus continue throughout history, demonstrating that Hashem’s justice is precise and unwavering. Just as the hailstones that fell upon Egypt were not completely spent but held back for later retribution, so too are the consequences of sins stored until the appropriate time. Hashem keeps a perfect balance sheet, ensuring that every deed—good or bad—receives its due consequence.
The punishment for sins may not always be immediate, but it is inevitable unless one repents. Just as the Egyptians faced their judgment, and later their spiritual successors will as well, so too does each individual carry their own spiritual debts. These debts must be paid either through suffering in this world, in the afterlife, or through divine retribution upon one’s descendants. However, in His mercy, Hashem provides a way to clear some of these spiritual debts through Teshuva (Repentance). True Teshuva, which consists of regret, confession, and a firm resolve not to repeat the sin, can mitigate or even entirely remove certain decrees.
The Zohar teaches us that everything in creation follows a precise balance of justice and mercy. Just as the hailstones remained stored for future reckoning, so too do the effects of our actions remain until addressed. A person who does not engage in Teshuva may find that the consequences of their sins accumulate and manifest unexpectedly at some later time. However, one who returns to Hashem with sincerity can realign their soul, repair their spiritual deficiencies, and avoid some of the harsher decrees awaiting them.
This concept is reflected in the verse:
“כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת”
“As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders” (Micah 7:15).
Just as Hashem demonstrated His justice and mercy in the redemption from Egypt, He also applies these principles to every generation, both on a collective and personal level. The lesson is clear: one should not assume that past wrongdoings are forgotten; they remain in the divine account until rectified. Only through Teshuva, Torah, and good deeds can one clear their record and ensure that the future holds blessings rather than judgment.

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