When the Jews are punished with destruction and exile, God’s direction of the world is deeply hidden. It appears as if God has abandoned the world, letting evil take over, whereby the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. This was the case two thousand years ago when evil forces were strong enough to destroy the Temple sending the Jews into exile, and it remains the case today when the wicked prosper. Although it does not seem right that the righteous should suffer more, this is natural since they experience intense sorrow over the Jewish exile. They suffer heartache at this desecration of divine honor. From the depths of this pain and grief, the righteous merit bringing the redemption sooner, and they will be greatly rewarded for it.
