Reply To: Understanding The Haiti Tragedy

Thanks to all for taking the time to read and respond to original post.

1) I strongly agree with those who have voiced the opinion which was also well-expressed by the Chabad Rabbi that we don’t have any good explanation for this.

2) I strongly disagree with those who quoted the Rashi in Shmos 7:3 for 3 reasons:

A) He was talking about the wicked Egyptians and not presumably innocent people like Haitian children.

B) If that is the explanation then when a little Haitian child is crying tonite for her mother, then all we need to do is to tell her that Mommy died because G-d wanted to warn the Jews. That is really satisfying to a child.

C) Suppose some non-Jewish holy book said that the reason why G-d punishes Jews is to give a warning to the Christians. So if a Christian child learns about the Holocaust and asks why it happened, his teacher should tell him it was to give the Christians a warning by killing Jewish children. Remember that anything you say is a two-way street. If 2+2=4 for the Jews, then 2+2=4 for the non-Jews. If you wouldn’t like this explanation when used by someone else, then don’t offer it either.

D) This is the problem when one parrots Maamarei Chazal without first making sure he has a hesber (understanding).

3) Jphone, people generally turn to their religion for solace and comfort in difficult times. That is what I meant.

4) A further question that bothers me is if the RBSH wrote in his Torah that we are not allowed to kill, then why is He allowed to violate it. Doesn’t the Medrash say that He puts on tefillin? (which indicates that He observes the Torah.)

5) We should learn from here that since we can’t explain this tragedy, we also have no understanding of any other tragedies. A little anivus (humility) is in order. Believe it or not, as ludicrous as it may seem, I actually heard someone saying that the Holocaust occurred because people talked in shul. Others have blamed this group or that. Clearly it is all nonsense, as we have no explanation in terms of aveiros, since they were kedoshei elyon. (I strongly recommend the book Faith after the Holocaust.)

6) One the other hand, those who say that we can’t understand the reasons make an understanding of bitachon and ahavas hashem very difficult. What does it mean to trust or love Hashem when we have no clue how he operates? How can we reassure a worried child about his medical operation, or somebody worried that they will ever find a shidduch, or somebody worried that he is about to lose his house, “Don’t worry, Hashem will make sure everything is fine.” But 100,000 people just died. Why should a person think it will work out for me, when it didn’t for all these others?

7) Note that while my questions sound very difficult, Moshe Rabbeinu and others have also talked sharf to the RBSH. (Lama Hareosa and V’im ayin mcheini na misifricha asher kasavta.)

8) If nothing else, we must learn some anivus and compassion for people of other cultures, and realize our shared humanity. Being a chosen nation doesn’t mean better in any way. Rather it means having more responsibility to be a mensch to all others.