9323 —השואה, צדק אלוקי, ואמונה בתוך סבל

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Regarding the content of your letter about the Holocaust, etc., and your astonishing question: what is the meaning and explanation of this, etc. Even from a human emotional perspective, as flesh and blood, this is an absolutely exceptional matter, and therefore the question is also completely exceptional. However, upon even slight reflection on the essence of the question—whose core is "HaShofet Kol HaAretz Lo Ya'aseh Mishpat" ("Will not the Judge of all the earth do justice?"; Bereishis 18:25)—there is truly no difference between the greatest catastrophe and the smallest injustice. In the language of our Sages: "Yissurim B'lo Avon" ("Suffering without sin"; Shabbos 55a), whether concerning one individual or an entire community—G‑d forbid.

Either way: if there is no Judge and no judgment, there is no point in asking questions or seeking logic, justice, or order in what happens in a place of total chaos. But since there is a Master to this palace—a Master in every sense of completeness—it is obvious that even the smallest detail must be perfectly just and upright. An injustice multiplied by six million only changes quantity, not quality. It is also understood that this does not answer the question; my point here is that those who justify their "rebellion" against the Master of all worlds—G‑d forbid—because of the Holocaust have no logical or rational basis for doing so.

And "Madua Derech Resha'im Tzlacha" ("Why does the way of the wicked prosper?"; Yirmiyahu 12:1) is an ancient question from the days of Moshe Rabbeinu—who received Torah from Sinai and transmitted it down through all generations. Therefore, even before the Holocaust, people had to confront this wonderment. If for whatever reason, the success of evil did not confuse them before the Holocaust and they lived according to Torah as given by Hashem, then after the Holocaust there is likewise no logical reason to change this—even though Michael Sar Shel Yisrael advocates merit for Israel after such suffering touched their families and was so overwhelming in quantity (even though it was exactly the same quality).

Furthermore, events similar to the Holocaust occurred at the destruction of both Temples—especially at the Second Temple—and even more so during medieval times when there was naturally no escape for Jews during Crusades etc. It is remarkable that precisely during these three periods there was a flourishing of Oral Torah (in its various stages), which not only did not lessen Torah observance but on the contrary—the motto was (in language of Anshei Knesses HaGedolah): "Asu Siyag LaTorah" ("Make a fence for Torah").

As above—this too does not answer the question (which comes from a broken heart). I have already said many times that logically there is no place for a created being to ask questions about his Creator—for there is simply no comparison between them; thus also not between human intellect and Divine intellect. All the more so regarding a small child questioning how a great sage acts—even though some time ago this sage too was once a small child himself—and perhaps one day this child will become an even greater sage than he whom he questions.

Regarding your letter about where to settle in future—certainly comfort and arrangements for people at a certain age are more available in America than other countries—with greater stability and tranquility. As for an environment with cultured people (and woe to culture on its own—independent—and let above-mentioned Holocaust prove it) or an atmosphere of Torah etc.—there is nowhere greater than New York with its two-and-a-half million Jews (may they increase). Still, everywhere requires searching—and so it is here as well.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that while human understanding cannot fully grasp G‑d's justice amid suffering like the Holocaust, faithfulness to Torah must remain unwavering. Jewish history shows resilience through tragedy by deepening commitment rather than abandoning it.