Question: I know that its Chanukah, and I’m supposed to be in a thankful mode and happy. But when I hear the different tragedies going on, especially in Eretz Yisroel, and kids are left without parents, then how can I be happy? I’m filled with sadness over these parents and people killed, and the children left Yesomim.
Answer: There is a book that tells a story about a child who was killed in an accident, and the father was Niftar young. The mother was understandably distraught, and couldn’t stop crying. One day, the child came to his mother in a dream, and told her: “Mommy, don’t cry. Do you know, that up here, everything is crystal clear. Tatty is saying shiurim up here. He is in Gan Eden, and it’s clear here that he was supposed to be Niftar now”. If we believe in two worlds, then we don’t have the same pain. I remember when R' Yakov Yosef Herman (“All for the Boss”) was Niftar, and R' Chatzkel Sarna was Maspid him. R' Chatzkel got up and said: ב ַּייַּע ַּם,ַַּּע ַּסַַּּא ַּיזַּגוּט.ַּמ ַּירַּד ַּאר ַּףַּה ַּאב ַּןַַּּד ַּיַּג ַּאוּל ַּה! He is doing great up there. It is we who are in need of a Yeshua. For the Hamas Arabs, that’s where their trouble begins. But by a Yid, that’s where the fun begins!
And as far as the little kids left without a father, Hashem is their father, and He will take care of them. You know, I had a child in my class that went through such a situation, and I remember that although before this situation he was a good kid, afterwards he became so much sweeter and was full of humility. Yissurim brings humility. Chazal say that if 40 days go by without hardship, then you lose your Olam HaBah, Chas V'shalom. If everything is good, that is not good.
And if you work on Emuna and Bitachon, and spend time on it, then you will see that you won’t be going through Gehinom for all the issues going on, in your own life or in the lives of others. Of course, you can feel bad for them. But if you cannot have Simcha on Chanukah, then you have to work the other way, i.e., on feeling secure that these children have Avinu She’baShamayim to take care of them, and that the ones killed are living it up in Olam HaBah!
ערכיןַּטזַּב,ַּדתניאַּדביַּרביַּישמעאל,ַַּּכלַּשעברוַּעליוַּארבעיםַּיוםַּבלאַּיסוריןַּקיבל עולמו.ַַּּ
You can submit your questions to Rabbi Mandel by emailing them to [email protected]
