The problem of evil

The problem of evil is the question of how evil and suffering can exist if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and good. In Intro to Judaism, it comes up in Jewish philosophy and especially post-Holocaust theology.

What is the problem of evil?

The problem of evil is the Jewish and philosophical question of why suffering, injustice, and cruelty exist if God is both powerful and compassionate. In Intro to Judaism, this term shows up when you study Jewish responses to tragedy, especially the Holocaust, and when you look at how different Jewish thinkers explain divine justice.

At the simplest level, the problem sounds like this: if God can stop evil and wants to do good, why do terrible things still happen? Jewish thought has not produced one single answer. Instead, it has several responses that reflect different ideas about God, human freedom, moral responsibility, and the limits of human understanding.

One common answer is tied to free will. If humans are genuinely free, then they can choose harm as well as good. That means some evil is not caused by God directly but by human action. This line of thinking appears in medieval Jewish philosophy, where thinkers such as Maimonides tried to defend belief in a rational, just God even while admitting that the world includes suffering.

Another approach says that humans should not expect to fully understand God’s reasons. That can sound unsatisfying, but it is a serious theme in Jewish theology. Some writers emphasize faith, humility, and the idea that human beings only see part of the picture. Others go further and suggest that the Holocaust created a crisis too severe for old explanations to hold up in the same way.

After the Holocaust, many Jewish thinkers shifted away from neat answers. Instead of trying to explain away suffering, they focused on memory, community, and human action. Some saw God's silence as a theological problem that could not be solved easily. Others responded by stressing tikkun olam, the human duty to repair the world and reduce suffering wherever possible.

So in this course, the problem of evil is not just an abstract debate. It is a lens for reading Jewish philosophy, modern theology, and the way Jewish communities respond to historical trauma.

Why the problem of evil matters in Intro to Judaism

The problem of evil matters in Intro to Judaism because it connects Jewish beliefs about God to real historical suffering. When you study Jewish philosophy, this term helps you see why thinkers argue about divine justice, free will, and whether human beings can explain tragedy at all.

It also gives you a framework for post-Holocaust theology. The Holocaust forced Jewish thinkers to ask whether older explanations still worked, or whether they had to be revised in light of modern catastrophe. That shift shows up in discussions of God’s hiddenness, silence, and the role of human responsibility.

This term also shows up in ethical thinking. If you cannot fully explain suffering, what do you do with that uncertainty? Many Jewish responses move toward action, memory, and repair, which is where ideas like tikkun olam fit in. That makes the problem of evil more than a theory question, since it shapes how people respond to pain, injustice, and communal loss.

How the problem of evil connects across the course

Theodicy

Theodicy is the attempt to defend God's goodness in the face of evil. The problem of evil is the bigger question that creates the need for theodicy in the first place. In Jewish thought, theodicies often use free will, moral growth, or hidden divine purposes to explain suffering without denying God's justice.

Free Will

Free will is one of the main ways Jewish thinkers respond to the problem of evil. If people can genuinely choose, then humans are responsible for much of the harm in the world. That idea helps explain moral evil, but it does not fully solve suffering caused by disaster, war, or large-scale tragedy.

Holocaust

The Holocaust is the historical event that made the problem of evil feel especially urgent in modern Jewish theology. It challenged traditional ideas about protection, chosenness, and divine justice. Many post-Holocaust thinkers did not try to give a neat explanation, but instead rethought faith, memory, and Jewish responsibility.

Richard Rubenstein

Richard Rubenstein is closely tied to radical post-Holocaust theology. His work reflects the sense that the Holocaust shattered older beliefs about a providential God who intervenes in history. He is useful for seeing one strong reaction to the problem of evil, especially when faith begins to feel impossible to justify.

Is the problem of evil on the Intro to Judaism exam?

A short-answer question or discussion prompt may ask you to explain how Jewish thinkers respond to suffering, especially after the Holocaust. You might need to identify whether a passage is using free will, divine hiddenness, or a post-Holocaust critique of traditional theology.

When you see a text excerpt, look for the argument shape: is the writer defending God, questioning God, or shifting the focus to human action? In an essay, you can use the problem of evil to connect medieval Jewish philosophy with modern responses to historical trauma. If a prompt asks about Jewish ethics, this term can also support an answer about why tikkun olam becomes meaningful when explanations fail.

The problem of evil vs Theodicy

The problem of evil is the question or challenge itself, while theodicy is an attempted answer. If a source is asking how evil can exist with a good God, that is the problem of evil. If it is trying to justify God’s goodness or explain suffering, that is a theodicy.

Key things to remember about the problem of evil

• The problem of evil asks how suffering and wrongdoing can exist if God is all-powerful and good.

• In Intro to Judaism, this term matters most in Jewish philosophy and post-Holocaust theology.

• One major response connects evil to free will, which places real moral responsibility on human beings.

• The Holocaust pushed many Jewish thinkers to rethink older explanations and focus more on memory, silence, and repair.

• This concept often leads into tikkun olam, because Jewish responses to suffering are not only about explanation but also action.

Frequently asked questions about the problem of evil

What is the problem of evil in Intro to Judaism?

It is the question of how evil and suffering can exist if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and good. In Intro to Judaism, it comes up when studying Jewish philosophy, especially debates about free will and post-Holocaust theology. The Holocaust made this question especially urgent.

How do Jewish thinkers explain the problem of evil?

Some explain evil through human free will, arguing that people cause much of the harm in the world. Others say God’s reasons are hidden or beyond human understanding. After the Holocaust, many Jewish thinkers moved away from simple explanations and focused more on mourning, memory, and responsibility.

Is the problem of evil the same as theodicy?

Not exactly. The problem of evil is the question or challenge, and theodicy is an answer meant to defend God’s goodness. In a Jewish studies context, a theodicy might use free will or moral growth, while the problem of evil is the issue those answers are trying to address.

How does the Holocaust connect to the problem of evil?

The Holocaust is one of the clearest examples that made Jewish thinkers rethink older theological answers. Its scale and cruelty raised hard questions about divine presence, silence, and justice. Many post-Holocaust thinkers argued that the event could not be explained away with easy religious language.