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Why weren't they protected?

By Tzvi Freeman

Question:

Dear Rabbi - I know this has been answered a thousand times but I still cannot get to grips with this type of event.

If hundreds of thousands of Jews were praying for them, and Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka were doing G‑d's work, why take them and hurt their child? Don't get it.

It's not like "well ... that was the Holocaust, or that was during the time of the Bible...that's different" - aren't they meant to be protected?

Response:

When Chabad was an underground movement in Communist Russia, activists were being sent to Siberia every second day. Many were tortured in interrogation and left to rot in their prison cells. The same question could have been asked then. The answer would have been the same: Send another rabbi to replace him.

We are not a reasonable people

Sixty years ago, we Jews were given every excuse to drop G‑d and His Torah forever, G‑d forbid. We could have said, "You broke your part of the deal, we are no longer obligated to keep ours. You were not there when we called for You, we will not be here for You."

Many of us did just that. But if you look around you, in any Jewish community in the world, you will see Jews returning to their Jewishness with love and inspiration. That's totally unreasonable. But we are not a reasonable people. We are tied to Him as He is tied to us, and there is just no way out.

A person can decide one of two ways: Either there is no G‑d and whoever is stronger and bigger wins. Or there is a G‑d and He is good--only that we are not so smart to understand all things.

The main thing now is not to ask those questions. The main thing now is to help one another to be strong and rebuild. The orphan needs your help. The Jewish community of Mumbai needs your help. That's where the money we collect will be going. Direct your outrage in a positive path.

17 Comments

	By Tzvi Freeman More articles... \|
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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: Dec 28, 2008

Chabad and Israel

I don't mean to detract from the call for a need to provide security, but, please, let's get clear that Chabad is not an Israeli organization, per se.

As Tzvi has pointed out, Chabad is Lubavitch, i.e. Russian.

Asking the Mossad to provide protection for Chabad is unreasonable, and there is no way that Chabad represents the political positions of the Israeli government. While the Mossad is dedicated to helping provide security for all Jews around the world, one must be realistic in requests to them for that help, and should limit them to immediate threats, not guesses about which locations or people may be threatened next.

It is OUR responsibility to provide our own security as best we can FIRST, not force the Mossad to babysit us because we refuse to think about security, ourselves. This is very unfair to those, who may need immediate resources from the Mossad.

Posted By Anonymous

Posted: Dec 3, 2008

Security Transcends G-d issues

Chabad, as an Israeli type organization, deserves elementary security procedures that behoove an Isreali organization.
The Mossad/Shin Bet NEED to protect Chabad as if it were the Isreali consulate itself.

The attack on the Chabad House in Mumbai was perpetrated because the criminals who carried out this brazen act of mass murder perceived Chabad as an Israeli institution.
Therefore, the Israeli Government together with its security apparatus should include Chabad under its security umbrella.
This has nothing to do with G-d.
It is plain common sense in a post 9-11 world.

Posted By Charles Bryan Baron, Cedarhurst, NY

Posted: Dec 2, 2008

Is Okay to Ask - Just don't get Stuck

Thank you for the kindness and wisdom with which you answer each question. I believe it isn't effective to say don't ask questions - it is a natural human instinct and a strong Jewish value. I think the answer is one of proportion - finding a balance between asking and doing; not getting stuck by the questions one asks. I learn this from Pirkei Avot: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, when?" In the age old debate between being self-focused or other-focused - R. Hillel responds - if not now -when? On the surface it is hard to understand how that question relates to the previous two statements. I understand this as a message that one shouldn't get stuck in the mode of questioning when action is required. It is okay to ask, as long as it doesn't deter you from taking action. I agree that now is the time to help heal the world with acts of Chesed, but it is important to always feel comfortable asking, it is a way find G-D.

Posted By Yael, Jerusalem, Israel

Posted: Dec 2, 2008

sraeliRabbinat: Israel should secure Chabad houses

Rabbis: Israel should secure Chabad houses

December 1, 2008

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An advisory group to the Israeli Chief Rabbinate called on the Israeli government to provide security to Chabad houses worldwide.

In the wake of the terrorist attack on the Chabad center in Mumbai, the Chief Rabbinate's Council adopted a resolution Monday asking Jerusalem to finance security for the 3,000 Chabad houses around the world, saying they act as embassies and take care of thousands of Israeli travelers.

The council was meeting for the first time since it was elected last month.

Meanwhile, Israeli security officials told the Jerusalem Post Monday that they plan to recommend that Chabad move its operations in Asian countries to secured buildings instead of free-standing buildings.