Words of Chizuk In These Difficult Times, by Toms River Resident Yaakov Gasner

January 02, 2024 12:23 pm

I keep being asked the same question.
Where was God on October 7th?
How can He allow this to happen?
Did He not see what occurred on that day?
How can you still believe in Him?
How do you believe in a God so hidden?

 

These questions are real and painful ones.
Questions of which I don’t have answers to.
I don’t think any human being can give the answer to all the “why’s and how’s”.
Some events are easily dismissible or explainable while this one is simply not in that category.

 

I grappled with this ever since that horrible day and I can’t and won’t share any answers because I don’t think I can.
I would however like to share my thoughts.

 

As horrific and horrible the events of 10/7 were, on the opposite end, the response of our nation has been the likes of which I don’t believe history has ever witnessed.

 

How can it be that there are thousands upon thousands of duffel bags going to Israel, funded by people who have no idea where it’s even going?

 

How can it be that there are literally millions of dollars being sent over, again to people whom we’ve never met?

 

How can it be that every single Jewish person on this planet has a “pre and post 10/7” life?

 

How can it be that at our protest in Washington, Hallel was recited?

 

How can it be that with every clip I’ve seen from the families of the hostages, despite all the enormous pain, there is still unshakable hope and faith?

 

How can it be that the mother of that hostage mistakenly killed, sent a message to the IDF saying she completely forgives them?

 

How can it be that the mantra of every Israeli citizen and soldier is “we will win and klal yisroel will remain alive forever”? How do they know we will win?

 

I challenge you all to find a nation that’s even remotely as strong and resilient as ours.
Find a nation that has been broken and destroyed in every way possible, yet apparently the more they break us, the better and stronger we become.
I don’t believe the human psyche is capable of doing what we’ve done.

 

My only explanation is that we are a part of God.
Although our bodies are finite, our souls are infinite because they are connected to the biggest source of infinity-God.
When the first human was created, God blew a soul into him from God himself.

 

When we, humans, create something, there is us and there is the creation but we have no continuous connection to it.
When God created us, he created us in a way that we have a direct source of light and energy straight from Him.

 

We can therefore accomplish what others can’t.
We have the ability to remain stronger than any other nation.
We have banded together as one despite so much diversity because although we all have our differences, we come from the same source.

 

So no, I don’t know where God was and why this happened. I won’t ever know and I’m okay with not knowing.

However, if you ask me why I still believe, the answer is, “look around you.”
Me, you, and every Jew are living testimony that there is a God in the world.

We wouldn’t be able to be who we are if not for this Godly connection.
We wouldn’t have this above human strength and spirit if not for the fact that we are connected to a higher power.

So if you ask me if I still believe in God, the answer is a loud and resounding yes!
God is more present than ever before and His presence is evident and shining through us all, both privately and collectively as a nation!

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Words of Chizuk In These Difficult Times, by Toms River Resident Yaakov Gasner

January 02, 2024 12:23 pm

I keep being asked the same question.
Where was God on October 7th?
How can He allow this to happen?
Did He not see what occurred on that day?
How can you still believe in Him?
How do you believe in a God so hidden?

 

These questions are real and painful ones.
Questions of which I don’t have answers to.
I don’t think any human being can give the answer to all the “why’s and how’s”.
Some events are easily dismissible or explainable while this one is simply not in that category.

 

I grappled with this ever since that horrible day and I can’t and won’t share any answers because I don’t think I can.
I would however like to share my thoughts.

 

As horrific and horrible the events of 10/7 were, on the opposite end, the response of our nation has been the likes of which I don’t believe history has ever witnessed.

 

How can it be that there are thousands upon thousands of duffel bags going to Israel, funded by people who have no idea where it’s even going?

 

How can it be that there are literally millions of dollars being sent over, again to people whom we’ve never met?

 

How can it be that every single Jewish person on this planet has a “pre and post 10/7” life?

 

How can it be that at our protest in Washington, Hallel was recited?

 

How can it be that with every clip I’ve seen from the families of the hostages, despite all the enormous pain, there is still unshakable hope and faith?

 

How can it be that the mother of that hostage mistakenly killed, sent a message to the IDF saying she completely forgives them?

 

How can it be that the mantra of every Israeli citizen and soldier is “we will win and klal yisroel will remain alive forever”? How do they know we will win?

 

I challenge you all to find a nation that’s even remotely as strong and resilient as ours.
Find a nation that has been broken and destroyed in every way possible, yet apparently the more they break us, the better and stronger we become.
I don’t believe the human psyche is capable of doing what we’ve done.

 

My only explanation is that we are a part of God.
Although our bodies are finite, our souls are infinite because they are connected to the biggest source of infinity-God.
When the first human was created, God blew a soul into him from God himself.

 

When we, humans, create something, there is us and there is the creation but we have no continuous connection to it.
When God created us, he created us in a way that we have a direct source of light and energy straight from Him.

 

We can therefore accomplish what others can’t.
We have the ability to remain stronger than any other nation.
We have banded together as one despite so much diversity because although we all have our differences, we come from the same source.

 

So no, I don’t know where God was and why this happened. I won’t ever know and I’m okay with not knowing.

However, if you ask me why I still believe, the answer is, “look around you.”
Me, you, and every Jew are living testimony that there is a God in the world.

We wouldn’t be able to be who we are if not for this Godly connection.
We wouldn’t have this above human strength and spirit if not for the fact that we are connected to a higher power.

So if you ask me if I still believe in God, the answer is a loud and resounding yes!
God is more present than ever before and His presence is evident and shining through us all, both privately and collectively as a nation!

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