Part IV. Understanding for the Future
A General Certain Answer
Now, am I saying that all the events of the Holocaust are fully understandable to us? Certainly not. Chas veshalom, I should say such a thing. Nobody can claim to understand such a tragedy in all its details. When we sit here and say that we try to understand that Hashem does things for a reason, it’s b’derech klal, on a general level. And so nobody claims to have all the answers. But what we can say is that it is certain – absolutely certain – that the Holocaust included a reaction to those that rebelled against Hashem violently and virulently, and with the worst kind of results had they been allowed to continue to exist. What could you expect as time kept on going? They were getting worse and worse. And so Hashem said, “It's enough. I'll bring it to an end.”
Yes, that's one of the reasons. And it won’t help if you call me up on the phone at twelve o’clock at night to yell at me. “Don’t talk about these things!” he yells. It won’t help because not only is it one of the reasons but it’s a reason that Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants us to talk about! ר≈ּפַס¿ ̇ ןַﬠַמ¿ל – In order we should speak about it, ה יƒנֲ‡ יƒּכ ם∆ּ ̇¿עַ„יƒו' – and you will know that I am Hashem (Shemos 10:2). It’s a makkah that He wants us to study and speak about so that we should always remember
