Igrot Kodesh · Letter 9133

By the grace of Hashem,

4 Iyar* 5726,
Brooklyn,

To Mr. Shalom Eliezer(1),

I greet you and bless you,

After a long interruption, I have duly received your letter of Isru Chag Pesach*(2), in which you ask me about the reasons for the events that have occurred in recent years. In general, a teaching is conveyed to us by our Torah*, which is called Torah of life — meaning, at its most basic level, that it is a Torah providing guidance for daily life, and in particular for its most important events — according to which: "You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your Hashem"(3). One must therefore trust in Hashem and consider that every event occurring in the world surely has a just explanation, especially when it concerns "Israel, the people close to Him"(4). For, as the Torah states repeatedly, "you are children to the Lord your Hashem"(5).

Of course(6), it follows from what has just been said that a person, whose intellect is limited, who does not fully understand these situations, is limited in his perception of them, does not possess all the relevant data, and certainly does not know what the outcome of the events of recent years will be — such a person cannot perceive and comprehend the reasoning of the Holy One blessed be He, if one may use that expression. And there is the well-known comparison made in this regard — that of a small child who wishes to grasp and understand the attitude and actions of an old, wise man with sound judgment. Yet the difference between them is only relative. This is why the great sage, in his own time, was like the child, had the same perception. And that child will in turn be able, when the time comes, to be a great sage — perhaps even surpassing the first — and one must hope that this will indeed be so. By contrast, between man and the Creator there is no common measure whatsoever. Furthermore, what one grasps and understands should actually provoke surprise and astonishment.

It is for this reason that we thank Hashem in this regard, for He "grants discernment" and enables understanding. I remember our meeting and I am therefore persuaded that it is unnecessary to say more about what has just been explained. On this occasion, I take the liberty of enclosing a copy of my letter addressed to all(7), for Pesach*. I hope its content will interest you. With my respects and my blessing,

Imagine a person of sound understanding, positive moral conduct, and good perception — and the questions he might ask if he had been raised on an island and has no knowledge of medicine or surgical intervention. If he were suddenly hospitalized, brought into an operating theater, and saw a man lying on a table and strapped down with a belt — as was done before anesthesia was developed — and if he observed, around him, men displaying knives and various instruments, who cut into the man lying on the table as he cries out in pain — this islander would be horrified and would wonder how one could allow a person to be cut open without any regard for his cries. In reality, the islander has no understanding whatsoever of the true purpose of this operation. You should understand this analogy.

Notes

(1) Mr. C. E. Shtaub, of Toronto.
(2) The day after the festival.
(3) Shoftim 18:13.
(4) Tehillim* 148:14.
(5) Re'eh 14:1.
(6) See, on this subject, letter no. 9124.
(7) This refers to letter no. 9122.