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22 Elul 5764 - September 8, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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LETTERS

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

 

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