The Problem of Suffering & Evil
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Jewish thinkers have always been bothered by the existence of suffering and evil, but in modern times, as a result of the Holocaust, it has taken on a central role in the thought of almost all contemporary Jewish theologians.
For Jews, the problem of suffering is twofold: there is a universal problem and a particular problem. The universal problem is a philosophical one; it is not just a problem for Jews, but for anyone who conceives of G-d in a certain way. If G-d knows everything, then G-d knows about all evil. If G-d is all-powerful, then G-d can prevent all evil. If G-d is perfectly good, then G-d should prevent all evil. And yet, evil exists. How can this be true?
Historically, Jewish thinkers did not articulate the problem of evil in this way until the Middle Ages. Earlier Jewish literature conceives of G-d as powerful, good, and knowledgeable, but not necessarily perfectly so. It was the particular problem of suffering and evil–a problem resulting from the unique relationship between G-d and the Jews–that occupied early Jewish literature.
According to the Torah, the covenant at Sinai, in which the Israelites agreed to abide by the commandments, established that the Jews would be rewarded if they followed G-d’s ways. And yet, suffering often seems to be meted out randomly. Righteous people suffer and wicked people prosper. How can this be reconciled with the covenantal relationship between G-d and the Jews? The problem of justifying G-d, despite the existence of evil is known as theodicy.
There are several types of solutions to the problem of suffering and evil. The biblical book of Job suggests that it is fruitless for humans to try and figure out why G-d causes some righteous people to suffer. While this approach may subvert the concept of reward and punishment, many rabbinic figures, as well as medieval philosophers and mystics, retained this concept by turning to eschatology; that is, they believed that reward and punishment is meted out in the afterlife, or–for those medieval mystics who believed in reincarnation–in a future lifetime.
“The universe doesn't always make sense. There is no guarantee of good fortune for good behavior; Crazy injustice is part of the enigma of the world and of our brief lives. My friends this is the thought I want to leave with you. Who is it in history that suffers ordeal after ordeal? Plundering after plundering? Massacre after massacre? Century after century? Yet looks up at the sky, sometimes with dying eyes and cries, The Lord our G-d, the Lord is one!! Who until then will leave the fearful mystery of undeserved suffering to G-d and praise his name saying the Lord has given and the lord taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Amen;”
My personal thoughts on the suffering of mankind is that G-d is preparing us for the coming of the Mashiach.
Yirmiyahu - Jeremiah - Chapter 33
5. They come to war with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of the men whom I have smitten with My anger and with My wrath, and that which I have hidden My face from this city because of all their evil.
Now Chaldeans is Assyria and Babylon, there are historical connections of Syria to ancient Assyria, and Babylon is now in Iraq. Look at what's happening today. The signs are there.
6. Behold, I will bring it healing and cure, and I will cure them, and I will reveal to them a greeting of peace and truth.
God's mercy unto his people and to Israel. The Jews are G-d's people, and G-d will shed his mercy upon them, so it is written many times in the Tanakh! And there is more.
7. And I will return the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel, and build them up like at first.
Verse 7 speaks of a time when the House of Israel is reunited with the House of Judah, and build them up like at first.
However, the House of Israel, which was made up of the Ten Lost Tribes, have been lost and scattered around the world since the fall of the Northern Kingdom around 721 B.C.E.. The House of Israel, the Ten Lost Tribes, cannot be re-united with the House of Jacob, because the House of Israel has not been around for thousands of years, that is why they are called the Ten LOST Tribes. This passage in Jeremiah is describing a Jewish People where all of the descendants of every tribe thrives, and has made their way to the Promised Land. Because it speaks of both the House of Israel and the House of Judah together, with G-d, in a single new covenant, and since the House of Israel cannot be unified with the House of Judah, this entire passage has not happened yet.
10. So said the Lord: There shall again be heard in this place, concerning which you say, "It is desolate without man and without beast," in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate without a man and without an inhabitant and without a beast,
And so it was, desolate without man and without beast. Read Mark Twain tour of palestine 1867. And now Israel is blooming with fruit and flowers. G-d's promise to his people, but yet more is to come, for who knows the workings of G-d?
Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering
Yechezkel - Ezekiel - Chapter 38
2."Son of man, set your face toward Gog, [toward] the land of Magog, the prince, the head of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him.
3.And you shall say; So said the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Gog, the prince, the head of Meshech and Tubal
4.And I shall unbridle you, and I shall put hooks into your jaws and bring you forth and all your army, horses and riders, all of them clothed in finery, a great assembly, with encompassing shield and buckler, all of them grasping swords.
5.Persia, Cush, and Put are with them; all of them with buckler and helmet.
6.Gomer and all its wings, the house of Togarmah, the utmost parts of the north and all its wings, many peoples with you.
Iran from the North and Russia from the utmost north!!!!! Now, for those who have been keeping up on world events, Russia, form utmost North has joined with Iran from the north and are in Syria, which was Assyria. Looks to me to be prophesy coming true right before our eyes!!!
I believe we are now living in the time where we will see all these prophecies come true, I believe it started in 1948 with the modern state of Israel.
And for the return of the Jews to their homeland, this may come as a shock to you, I believe that is the reason for anti-Semitism in Europe, it is to get the Jews to go home.
“Jewish emigration from western Europe is at historically unprecedented levels in the wake of growing disquiet about antisemitism “
You may be asking yourself, why would G-d cause his people to be hated? And I say who knows the ways of G-d?
G-d created time and space, according to Genesis the sun was created on day 4, so how long was a day to G-d? That’s another couple of pages, so I won’t get into that. I just wanted to point out that the how’s and why’s of G-d is beyond our understanding.
So why did G-d cause the Jews to suffer for generation to generation? Why did G-d cause the Israelites to wonder for 40 years, when the trip should have taken 40 days?
Regardless of all this, I believe that what we’re seeing in France with the Jews, and many other places in the world, will be seen here in the USA, and I also believe that is G-d’s way to get the Jews to go home to Israel, and then we will see the Temple, built, and then G-d’s anointment of the new king of Israel, and the Messiah that we are all looking for. (HaOlam HaBa)
The way my health is failing, I may not be alive to see that day. I can only hope and pray that Hashem will allow my Neshamah to live in that day.