Commentary for Kiddushin 78:11
והא א"ר אלעזר שלוחי מצוה אין נזוקין התם בהליכתן שאני
was meditating upon a transgression? - The Holy One, blessed be He, does not combine an evil thought with an [evil] act.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For punishment. - I.e., one is not punished for mere intention.');"><sup>26</sup></span> Yet perhaps he was meditating idolatry, and it is written, that I may take the house of Israel i their own heart?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XIV, 5: 'heart' implies intention; the reference is to idolatry; v. preceding verse, and thus we see that even the intention of idolatry is punished.');"><sup>27</sup></span> - That too was precisely his point: should you think that precepts are rewarded in this world, why did the [fulfilment of these] precepts not shield him from being led to [such] meditation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Aboth IV, 2: 'the reward of a precept is a precept, and the punishment of transgression is transgression, for precept draws precept and transgression draws transgression'.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
Daf Shevui to Kiddushin
Note that this resolution still resolves the notion that the world makes sense—while we cannot rely on a miracle, we might be able to rely on our own abilities to make sure that our ladders are safe. Theoretically, if the ladder had been checked, this damage could have been prevented.