Last week I had the pleasure of spending Shabbat with cousins in Austin as part of our family winter vacation get-away. Rabbi Mendy and Mussie Levertov of the Chabad Young Professionals there hosted over 130 young men and women in their home for Shabbat dinner, and towards the end, a small group stayed for some fascinating discussions.
One of the participants asked “What is G-d?” and I pointed him to the definition articulated in the opening words of Maimonides’ Mishne Torah. (Read it here.) Another fellow sitting at the table exclaimed “Thank you for asking the question! I was always so scared to broach the topic.”
People think it is sacrilegious to have questions, especially about G-d, and to voice them would be an outright insult to the rabbi! Setting aside the rabbi’s feelings, many are concerned that these questions perhaps indicate they have no faith. After all, a true believer would never have any questions.
Wrong.
This week’s parsha opens in the middle of a conversation between G-d and Moshe, the first leader and redeemer of the Jewish people. After he had approached Pharaoh with G-d’s message “Let My people go so they may serve Me” the result was an unbearable increase in their suffering to the point that Moshe himself complained to G-d: "O L-rd! Why have You harmed this people? Why have You sent me? Since I have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, and You have not saved Your people."
That’s correct. Moshe, the greatest prophet to ever live and the one credited for transmitting G-d’s Torah to us for all time had questions, and he asked them. Instead of being angered or disappointed with his questions, G-d responded by communicating the greatest blessings and promises for redemption which materialized shortly thereafter.
Questions are not a challenge to faith. On the contrary, questions are the greatest confirmation of faith.
In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Noble Laureate Elie Wiesel wrestled with faith and even considered never starting a family. Why bring children into such a terrible world, he wondered. He had several lengthy conversations with the Rebbe of which we have no written record, but in 1965 the Rebbe composed a letter to him on the topic of faith after the Holocaust and specifically persuaded him to start a family. Here is a powerful excerpt:
“I believe you will agree with me that it isn’t happenstance that all of the authentic questioners kept their faith; indeed, it is impossible for it to have been otherwise. For if the question is sincerely meant and arises from a genuine concern for justice and righteousness, then it is obvious that such a deep feeling can only come from the conviction that true justice and righteousness must originate in a supernatural source, one that is above human understanding and feelings.”
Don’t be frightened by your questions. Search for answers in the right places and the journey will lead you to true personal redemption, which paves the way for the ultimate redemption through Moshiach.