איוב, פרק י״ד, פסוק כ״א

Death brings an absolute end to a person's awareness of the living world, severing the bond between parent and child. Once a person passes away, they are left entirely unaware of the fate that awaits their descendants. This reality removes the idea that individuals experience reward or punishment after death through the lives of their offspring. Since the deceased cannot perceive the joy or the struggles of their children, the events of the living cannot serve as a consequence for the dead [רמב״ן, אלשיך, מלבי״ם].

Throughout their lives, children may achieve great success and abundance. This prosperity can take several forms. It might manifest as financial wealth and the accumulation of riches [רש״י]. The children might instead rise to positions of greatness, earning deep respect and public honor [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another possibility is the physical growth of the family as it multiplies in number [רלב״ג]. Yet, whether the descendants secure wealth, prestige, or a growing lineage, the departed parent remains completely blind to their triumphs.

Conversely, the children might face a harsh reversal of fortune. The primary approach among commentators is that this represents a state of reduction, where the descendants lose their property, their social standing, or their numbers [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד]. Beyond mere loss, this decline can also involve genuine sorrow, pain, and suffering [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Even in these dark moments, when the children are enduring great hardship, the deceased parent cannot understand their hearts or sense their distress [ביאור שטיינזלץ].