Dear Sheindel,
I was appalled by the message in the story "Three Lost
Chances" by Yisca Shimony [Aug. 20th issue], appalled by the
heading "Elul -- Opportunity knocks, but we don't always
answer... in time." To use a Holocaust story to illustrate
this is disgraceful.
We know by now, after hearing and reading the words of our
gedolim, that people were saved during the Holocaust
with great siyata diShmaya and [that there were]
gedolim who perished because it was the will of
Hashem. To take the story of R' Menachem Zemba, one of the
many gedolim who died al Kiddush Hashem and
make it sound like he `blew it' is sacrilegious.
Laya
WE REPLY:
Dear Laya,
Your point is very well-taken. Period. I must apologize if
there was an erroneous implication that things could have
been otherwise than the Divine Will. Nothing can affect
that.
Or can we, risking again being misunderstood, imply an
alternative?
Surely we must believe that even if a sword is poised at our
very throats, it can be thrust aside.
We cannot, of course, second-guess Divine will, but sometimes
we can see the seeds of later circumstances in very early
acts and reactions.
This is such a hot and touchy subject that I know it will be
misconstrued. But hear me out. We, that is, Y. Shimony and
myself as editor, attempted to show in a previous story
involving the kalla of R' Isser Zalman Meltzer, that
the decision was purely hers. Her chosson contracted
tuberculosis and offered, even strongly suggested, that they
break their engagement, which she was fully justified in
doing.
She chose otherwise, and subsequently received the Chofetz
Chaim's blessing that this union be blessed with endurance.
He remained sickly -- but lived long. We must believe that
she could have `blown it' by not marrying the Torah scholar
who later became the godol hador but made a very
courageous decision. We are creatures of free choice.
There are deep Jewish philosophical aspects to this question,
but we must believe that our fate is in our hands to a great
degree and that we have the possibility of changing it, by
merits, deeds, prayer and by our own faith that it can be
changed.
We are very small, too atomic to judge events, decisions and
gedolim. But, as Chazal have often said, "In the way a
person wills to go, so is he led."
When I consulted a Rov on the proper response, he told me to
stay away from the whole parsha; it was far too
touchy. Maybe that's what I should have done.
We invite other readers to comment on these ideas, which are
deep and central to all life.
I did not mean to step on any toes of the descendants of non-
survivors, and I ask for forgiveness for any insensitivity
shown.
I sure hope I haven't blown this...
Sheindel
