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Tackling the Tough Times

The very dark moments in life and history

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Tackling the Tough Times: The very dark moments in life and history

There are some tragedies for which there are no answers. What should our perspective be when faced with such horrific suffering?

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Topics:	Pain, Suffering & Tragedy

By Shifra Sharfstein

Shifra Sharfstein is co-director of Chabad of Downtown Universities in Atlanta, Georgia.

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10 Comments

Yvonne August 12, 2016

God is in charge How is it that the Holocaust was not permitted by God? If he is in charge and it happened, then he let it happen. God could of stopped it. Yes! Didn't he save us from Pharaoh? Didn't he too also harden Pharaoh's heart for the purpose to show it was him who saved us. God brings the good and the bad. Doesn't the Tanakh say that he gave Elisha the illness that eventually would kill him. A faithful prophet. Why? The question is not if God permitted the Holocaust but why did he permit it? Was it so that Israel could be established as a nation? I don't know his purposes but I trust that he has the bigger picture in mind. He is not like man who breaks their word but he is faithful to his covenant with his people. My job is not to tell the master how to keep his house but to follow his instructions and be faithful to him. God is in charge! Reply

deborah esther Attia-Cohen Strasbourg July 30, 2015

Relief and More Questions I do take you seriously, the only reference that is reliable is your heart, and you don't need to justify yourself to anyone.
God know what's in your heart and what your intentions are,if your intentions are to understand in order to move on, then you will get the answers through your acts, your heart will inspire you.
But to let inspiration come, you need to be happy, only through joy you can be inspired.
How the people use their free will is a matter between them and God, If we use ours properly it's already a lot...
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Sylvia July 29, 2015

hope The holocaust was not permitted by the Lord, evil will commit evil, being human means that at some point in our life we will be a recipient of unpleasantness. The halocaust, in my current opinion, the one of the worse examples of inhumanity.
The challenge with God, is to have faith, never lose hope.
The more abhorrent evil in this world is to be a person who witnesses; oppression, cruelty, suffering and extreme evil then turn a blind eye to the situation.
The Torah teaches righteousness, and to help the widowed and orphaned. Maybe we cannot physically help, financially help, but we have a voice and can say NO, this is wrong to commit heinous acts of inhumanity.
Cain an Able are one reason why these matters escalated, when sin entered the world the variation of sin multiplied. This is man being his own creator. When we turn to Our Creator for the correct guidance this can be over come and God states this clearly within this example.
God helps the faithful and rescues them. Psalm 2, Reply

Anonymous Bronx July 27, 2015

Hearing the audience... It is too bad that the audience of "tackling the tough times" could not be heard clearly. Maybe next time a microphone can be placed in the audience so that we can better understand the conversation between the speaker and the audience. Much is lost when we can not hear the audience in order to make sense of the speakers comments. Reply

Anonymous Thornhill, Ontario July 26, 2015

Thank you Shifra. Wonderful class. Please repeat the question from the audience, and/or maybe have participants wear a mic, so that this portion doesn't get lost... Reply

Aseret Cassanova Naples FL February 21, 2015

Thank you. I really enjoy it, Salute! Now that explained at all, Jews people we born with the sensitivity of justice because we are in deep connection with God. Reply

deborah esther Attia-Cohen Strasbourg, France January 20, 2015

I am terrified of unintentionally offending Him. Don't be terrified to offend Him, if you speak with your heart and you open your heart to God, then it's not an offense, on the contrary that's what He expects from you ,
all the pains although we don't understand the resaons, one thing for sure that comes out of it , is that it makes come out the best of us, we become closer to God.

The bombs... all that is the choice of the human being even if God let it happen it's been done with man's free will. Reply

Rivka Melbourne July 27, 2014

Re: Hearing the whole thing Please repeat questions from the audience as those watching via internet at home can't hear them and maybe this is a really helpfull question.
Rivka Reply

Anonymous London July 24, 2014

What was the point of having people making comments which your internet audience cannot hear, ; why allow one person to give such a long inaudible perspective? It was as if that individual forgot who was sitting in the chair.On the other hand your presentation was very helpful. Reply

Anonymous Texas, USA July 21, 2014

Relief and More Questions It was such a comfort to my soul to feel "normal" about my sometimes burning need to question H-Shem. I do believe He is the Creator of all and ultimately has control over everything BUT He did give us free will. That edge of ultimate power and humanity sometimes disturbs me greatly. Murders, bombers, political games, et al.

The thing I still struggle with is when I hear/read things like "But My people did not heed My voice; Israel did not want [to listen to] Me."

How do we know when to stop questioning as Abram did? How do we tell the difference between a loving need to understand and being a speed bump in H-Shem's plans? When do we cross the line and become that which angers Him: hard hearted, hard headed, and testified against?

"Listen, my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you-I am God your God."

It sounds silly to those around me but I do hope someone takes me seriously. I am terrified of unintentionally offending Him. Reply

Tackling the Tough Times: The very dark moments in life and history

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