Faith
How is it possible that there were people who never sinned?
Question
It is written that there is no righteous person who will not sin. Even Adam was created pure, without the evil inclination, yet he was caused to sin. So how did four people manage to enter Gan Eden without a single sin throughout all their lives (Yishai, Binyamin...)?
Thank you
Answer
Greetings,
Indeed, this is a good question: how did the Sages say in Tractate Shabbat (55b) that four died because of the serpent's counsel (and Rashi explained: through the serpent's counsel, which led Chava astray, and not because of any other sin, since they did not sin), and these are: Binyamin son of Yaakov, Amram, the father of Moshe, Yishai, the father of David, and Kilab son of David, when it is stated in the book of Kohelet (chapter 7, verse 20), "For there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin."
The Tosafot on Tractate Shabbat (ibid.) already addressed this question and answered that the above verse speaks about the majority of people; however, it is possible that there is a minority who never sinned at all in their lives.
Sources: See further what was written about this in the Chiddushei Rabbenu the Meiri, in the Maharsha, in the Pnei Yehoshua, in Ahavat Eitan on the Ein Yaakov there, and in the commentary Yafeh Toar on Midrash Vayikra Rabbah (parashah 14, section 5, beginning with the words אפילו).
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
