Three Simple Ideas That Can Change Your Life: A short insight from the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
Chana Weisberg is host of the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories podcast and curator of advanced learning experiences on Chabad.org. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, self-esteem and the Jewish soul. She is the author of six books. Her latest book, Shabbat Delights, is a two-volume series on the weekly Torah portion.
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Is the untimely death of the apparently innocent a reward or a punishment? Chana, still waiting for a response to my query of last year re: my daughter. If God kills a child for God's own reasons, does God not also make the killer for the same reasons? You cannot have a victim without a perpetrator, unless you define God as the perpetrator.
Dear anonymous,
One of the fundamentals of Judaism is that we all have free choice. G-d does not force us to do bad things. If someone is destined to be killed, for whatever reason, G-d sets it up to be done through someone who so chooses. The perpetrator is guilty because he chose to do so, as G-d has many means and ways of accomplishing His will.
As to an untimely death of a precious soul, for those of us living in this world who miss daily contact with this child, it is still extremely sad, even though we can be comforted by the knowledge that ultimately this was G-d's will and this soul is now in a better place.
I wish you comfort and only good things in your life.