"Why do
bad things happen to good people?" is probably the most complex and
difficult theological question asked both in Jewish and non-Jewish circles.
With all the pain and persecution that has happened in Jewish history, it is a
question that has been painfully pondered for centuries from Job to the loss of
the Beit Hamikdash to modern times and the Holocaust. It is a focus of the
Kinnot, which have been echoed for millennia. In Where's My Miracle, Rabbi
Schwartz tries to parse through the tremendous amount
of material that exists in Jewish tradition on the topic.
Rabbi Schwartz comes to the question not fully as an academic but one who was
also a pulpit rabbi who was asked the question many times, and as someone who
had to live with an immense tragedy himself, the untimely death of
his mother. In this way the way Rabbi Schwartz not only is able to ask the
question, but also he asks it from a place that is ultimately relatable to
every reader.
Rabbi Schwartz goes through different aspects of the question and
gives sources showing each side of the issue. I have seen other books on this
topic, but Where's My Miracle is unique in that it is not trying to
tell you the answer, but show you that there are a multiplicity of explanations
given by different authorities both in Chazal and in the Rishonim. To what
extent are all bad things punishments? Are things happening naturally, or is
G-d making these tragedies happen? And, can’t G-d stop bad things from
happening? He shows throughout the book that all of these questions have many
answers. Not only does he not support one view, but also whenever he starts to
explain one strand of thought he brings a counter-example showing a source that
quotes the opposite opinion. Although, he tries to be unbiased, Rabbi Schwartz
leans to the view that not all instances have a Divine Hand. Even though he
leans one way, he fully expresses the other possibilities. Perhaps they are
even all right for different situations. He scatters quotes from newspapers and
other victims of tragedies who express views that are quoted in Jewish texts.
However, there is no one answer. Interestingly, the lack of an answer seemed to
me as the best answer. We cannot know why everything happens and it would be
hubris to think that we can. Perhaps they in themselves did not have meaning at
all. This must be differentiated from the standard answer of “how can we
question G-d?” Rabbi Schwartz shows that our question is not only a valid one,
but one that has been attempted to answer frequently. What he shows is that
there is no “Jewish view” of theodicy. Rather, there are many strands of
thought throughout the Talmud and other sources, all of which could or could
not be applied to different cases.
I would absolutely recommend this
book for anyone interested in a Jewish overview of the subject.
In the last couple weeks, this question has come a little more to the forefront with the storms that have swept the northeast, specifically, hurricane Sandy. Whatever you believe, and many different and contradictory opinions exist in our tradition, I find that it is hard to say what the reason for any tragedy truly is. Some Rabbis and Pastors recently came out and blamed hurricane Sandy on homosexual marriage. Non withstanding the political problems with this and especially considering the wide variety of views within Jewish tradition, I really don't understand this. Explaining tragedy in such manner, especially in public, demeans those that were hurt or killed as simply hit in the crossfire for G-d's specific message. We should look at these events and think about what G-d is trying to tell us, so we can then always be improving ourselves, but to blame tragedy on others seems simple minded and hurtful. May it come soon that it will be clear how G-d is involved in our lives.
