When Bad Things Happen To Good People

In todays society, there are many terrible events that occur daily and we try to grapple why. One such tragic event is unfortuneately the discovery today of the body of missing Leiby Kletzky (may God avenge his blood) an innocent and angelic 9 year old from New York  who was brutally murdered and dismembered after he disappeared Monday afternoon after getting lost while walking alone for the first time from his Borough Park day camp and following a man down a busy street, sparking a massive search.

It’s hard to understand why bad things happen to people who have done no harm.

It's not easy to go through terrible pain and continue to bless God. Facing pain is not easy for even the greatest of human beings. Only God is perfect. We are mere human beings. And when we go through pain as we all do it can be overwhelming. We may respond with frustration, bitterness, and even anger and resentment towards God. And that's okay. God understands. We don't know what's going on in Heaven, or what Gods calculations are.

Why do bad things happen to good people?  The question of "why do bad things happen to good people" is one that has been asked of many people for centuries.

"It is not in our hands -- neither the suffering of the righteous nor the comfort of the wicked," says R' Yannai in Ethics of the Fathers, 4:15.

By Aron Moss

Why is this world so unfair? Why do people suffer undeservedly? Any person with an ounce of moral sensitivity is outraged by the injustices of our world.

If this ultimate question were answered, then we would be able to make peace with the suffering of innocents. And that is unthinkable. Worse than innocent people suffering is others watching their suffering unmoved. And that's exactly what would happen if we were to understand why innocents suffer. We would no longer be bothered by their cry, we would no longer feel their pain, because we would understand why it is happening.

Imagine you are in a hospital and you hear a woman screaming with pain. Outside her room, her family is standing around chatting, all smiling and happy. You scream at them, "What's wrong with you? Can't you hear how much pain she is in?" They answer, "This is the delivery ward. She is having a baby. Of course we are happy."

When you have an explanation, pain doesn't seem so bad anymore. We can tolerate suffering when we know why it is happening.

And so, if we could make sense of innocent people suffering, if we could rationalise tragedy, then we could live with it. We would be able to hear the cry of sweet children in pain and not be horrified. We would tolerate seeing broken hearts and shattered lives, for we would be able to neatly explain them away. Our question would be answered, and we could move on.

But as long as the pain of innocents remains a burning question, we are bothered by its existence. And as long as we can't explain pain, we must alleviate it. If innocent people suffering does not fit into our worldview, we must eradicate it. Rather than justifying their pain, we need to get rid of it.

So keep asking the question, why do bad things happen to good people. But stop looking for answers. Start formulating a response. Take your righteous anger and turn it into a force for doing good. Redirect your frustration with injustice and unfairness and channel it into a drive to fight injustice and unfairness. Let your outrage propel you into action. When you see innocent people suffering, help them. Combat the pain in the world with goodness. Alleviate suffering wherever you can.

We don't want answers, we don't want explanations, and we don't want closure. We want an end to suffering. And we dare not leave it up to God to alleviate suffering. He is waiting for us to do it. That's what we are here for.


Ed note:To be a victim is not crime.  But to do nothing to help them may be.  They are worth a hand up.

We work to be part of things. Part of work, part of family, part of a functional society, part of all kinds of things.  Parents are “good” in a child’s eyes, because they provide the essentials of survival and trust, their ability to have significant relationships, to feel good about themselves, to achieve goals, and have hope about the future.  To make them feel loved, secure and safe and to develop a positive attachment and feel protected.

We are living in a society that is nearly paranoid with the possibility of terrorism or violent crime but too many of us completely ignore the facts and numbers of abuse. 

Be attuned to your child (particularly if they're behaving or saying things out of the ordinary). You have a responsibility and obligation toward their personal health and wellbeing.  Listen,believe and trust what they tell you is true.  Very rarely does a child make up a story about this.

No one has the right to deprive, harm or violate anyone. Stand up and fight for your child.  They're the most important and precious beings in our lives. Most importantly TAKE ACTION by reporting it to the appropriate law enforcement authorities! Be procative.To ignore your or someone elses child borders on neglect. Don't fail the child or the system. Never betray your childs trust. Make sure the child knows they will be believed, loved, accepted, protected, and defended no matter what. Children deserve every protection possible from the dangers of our society. Parents number one job is to keep their children safe.