Thoughts On Our Current Situation
Dear Friends,
Although I do not usually send out any emails sharing my thoughts on current events, nevertheless, regarding our current situation in Israel I feel obliged to address.
I do not believe that my opinion has any more value than the plethora of opinions that are already being expressed. It is for this reason I would not send out anything regarding our current situation. However, to remain silent and go on with life and our regular TableTalk correspondence ignoring what is happening is untenable.
That said, I wish to state unequivocally that HaShem protects His beloved people whom He cherishes. If such a massacre was able to be perpetrated it could only have happened because HaShem wanted it to happen.
No! HaShem does not wish to punish us out of His anger, out of His hate towards us… NO, such a thought runs counter to everything Judaism teaches. So, what should our perspective be? How do we understand how our loving Father, our Guide, our Protector, the One Who has designated us to bring the world to its ultimate state of Perfection, allow this to happen?
The story of the great French painter, Claude Monet, and his student can perhaps give us an insight to understanding our current situation. (The following story is fiction.)
Monet went with his student to the French Alps to paint a landscape depicting the beauty of the sunset beyond the Alps. They found an isolated mountain peak where Monet perched his easel and began painting. As he came close to finishing the painting he walked backward away from the picture, entranced in the picture. He was completely lost in his painting. His student realized that if his master continues backing up he would fall of the cliff.
He shouted to his master, “STOP!”, Monet, still entranced did not react to the shout and continued backing up. He wanted to grab his master but knew that they both might fall off the edge. Thinking quickly, the student grabbed a knife and slashed the painting.
In a shot, Monet jumped out of his trance. “What did you do!!? Do you realize this was my most beautiful painting?”
“My master, I just saved your life which is worth even more than your painting.”
HaShem knows better than us when we are in danger and what needs to be done to protect us from that danger. His value of life is far greater than ours and He wants us to live even more than we want to live.
If these events occur and they move us to turn Heavenward and reflect on our relationship and how to make it even better, than that is why He wanted it to happen. (While we may still not be satisfied how anything could justify this massacre, nevertheless, we must resign that He does know better.)
The Jewish perspective on such events is to realize that HaShem is speaking to us, or perhaps shouting at us. He wants to get our attention, to take us out of our trance. It is our responsibility to reflect on what that specific message may be. Every individual who is touched by this situation must consider what their response will be to this wakeup call.
May we find favor by HaShem and may He bring about to His ultimate revelation when the world will be filled with awareness of HaShem as water fills the ocean.
I thank you.
Paysach Diskind
