Binyamin Benji’s article, “One Day It Will All Make Sense” (December 21, 2023), is, self-evidently so, an attempt to say that while we cannot understand the reasons Hashem may have for Oct. 7, that one day when Hashem reveals Himself and says “Ani Hashem,” things will all make sense.

While I do understand the temptation to offer this interpretation, I do believe it highly insensitive. This is irrespective of the fact that I completely disagree with this premise/viewpoint. We are all still in mourning. We are all still suffering. Our only sigh of quasi relief can come when Hamas paid for what they have done and when we see the hostages returned and all greet them back home with open arms and a loving embrace.

We must stop using Judaism as an “opiate of the masses.” Judaism’s job is not to comfort the discomforted. It is to add nobility to our lives, no matter how uncomfortable that may be. The appropriate state of mind at the moment seems to be at unease. These are difficult times. They are times of introspection, teshuva, tefilah, chesed and unity. To attempt consolation now would be to separate oneself from the people. We are all still mourning. There is no veil. There is only an evil which we are trying to correct by serving Justice. May it be served quickly.

Dovidchai Abramchayev
Teaneck