To My Dear Students,

The Jewish tradition asks the question, "Why do the righteous suffer?"  In other words, why are good people afflicted with disease and pain?

The Chofetz Chaim told of a Jewish man from the country who once spent Shabbat in the big city.  While in shul on Shabbat morning, during the reading of the Torah, the Gabbai called up people for Aliyas from different corners of the Sanctuary.

After Services, the guest approached the Gabbai and said:  "I enjoyed the Service very much, but tell me, why did you have to call the Aliyas from all over?  Wouldn't it have been more organized to call the first row this week, the second row next week, and so on?  In that way, you would be able to call everybody up in an orderly manner and make sure that everybody receives his turn."

The Gabbai replied, "You come here for one Shabbat and want to understand everything?  If you had been here over a period of several weeks, you would have realized that two weeks ago the man on the first bench had Yahrzeit and had to have an Aliya then.  Last week, the fellow behind him celebrated his son's bar mitzvah and he had to have an Aliya then.  The man on the third bench has been sick for the last few weeks and would have lost his turn according to your suggestion!  And this week, the fellow next to him is getting married, so naturally I had to give him an Aliya today.  If I were to follow your advice, nobody would get his Aliya when he needs it and everyone would be unhappy."

So, too, teaches the Chofetz Chaim, do we come into this world for a mere 70 or 80 years, and we want to understand everything!  But in order to understand it we have to put it in the context of the whole universe from the beginning of time until the end of days.  Let us trust in HaShem who sees from the Creation to the end of time, who sent us here for His purpose, and who governs all existence with a wisdom that is loving and infinite!

Shabbat Shalom,

Your Rabbi