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Where Is God After October 7, 2023?
Thousands of Jews gather for a mass prayer for the hostages in Gaza at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, Jan. 10, 2024. Photo: Yaacov Cohen
The month of Elul is a time when we traditionally focus on improving ourselves and our connection with God.
In Judaism, the concept of returning to a better version of ourselves and a closer relationship with God is called Teshuva, which literally means “returning.” This shows us that our natural state of being is one of purity and closeness to God.
This year, with the trauma we experienced and are still going through, we Jews have felt attacked in ways that we haven’t been in 80 years. For many, the classical situation seems to have been reversed. Teshuvah in the classical sense comes about because a person created distance between themselves and God; this year, however, a lot of people have felt the opposite — that God has created distance, with many asking, “Where is God in all these tragedies?”
God seems to be very quiet in light of the horrific circumstances we face, and that has posed a challenge of faith to many people.
This situation brings to mind a Hassidic story involving Rabbi Levi Yitzhak from Berditchev. One year, he told his top students to seek out and learn from a simple old lady who had done a very high level of teshuvah. They found her house, told her that the rabbi had sent them, and asked her about her teshuvah process.
She told them, “I wrote down a list of everything I did wrong this year — I didn’t always make blessings, I spoke evil words about others, and so on. Then I wrote a list of everything that I’m upset with God for. ‘Hashem, you killed my cow, my child got sick,’ and so on …. and then I said, ‘Hashem, let’s make a deal. I’ll forgive you for everything you did, and you forgive me for my list.’
That was the most authentic teshuvah done that year.
We know, obviously, that God doesn’t sin. There is always a meaningful reason for what takes place in our lives. However, at the same time, we have to be real with our experience and approach God from that place. If we feel abandoned or mistreated, we need to express that to God; that is how we can maintain an authentic personal relationship.
So how do we hold these things together — the feeling of abandonment on the one hand, and the drive to create a deeper connection on the other?
I believe we learn this from King David in Tehillim/Psalms (22:1) where he says: “Keli Keli Lama Azavtani – My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
The first time I read this, I was a bit upset, because it appears that King David has lost his faith. How could he ask such a question?
However, my concerns were put to rest when I heard a teaching of Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, who says that the word “Lama” shouldn’t be read as the meaning “why,” but rather with the meaning “what for.” Yes, you seem to have abandoned me, but there must be a reason for that.
Rather than asking why, a question to which we often can’t get an answer, we ask “what” — what should I do about this, what am I meant to learn from this? These questions are much more empowering.
Jewish wisdom teaches us that when we feel abandoned by God, it’s usually a response to us abandoning God in some way first. So the distance created by God is in order to get us to build ourselves, become more resilient, patient, calm, and loving, to help others, to unify as a people, and to yearn for a return to a close relationship with God, is exactly what teshuvah is all about.
This year, there has been so much trauma that we just can’t grasp it or make sense of it; and it is ongoing. We may feel abandoned. The key for many of us, rather than blaming God, is to understand that God is asking us to stay strong, be united, and act in ways that will bring Him back into the picture, so that He can show us that He never truly abandons His people, and that He will redeem us from the current pain in a spectacular way, just as He has many other times over the last 2000 years.
May it be soon.
After spending six years living in Asia, Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen moved to Israel and ended up discovering the depth, beauty, truth and wisdom of Judaism. Dov Ber Cohen is now a senior Lecturer at Aish HaTorah World Center in Jerusalem, and Founder/Director of Living in Tune: Authentic Jewish Mindfulness (www.litmindfulness.org).
The post Where Is God After October 7, 2023? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Says Missile Launched by Yemen’s Houthis ‘Most Likely’ Intercepted
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
The Israeli army said on Saturday that a missile fired from Yemen towards Israeli territory had been “most likely successfully intercepted,” while Yemen’s Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the launch.
Israel has threatened Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement – which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Gaza – with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist.
The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for Saturday’s attack, adding that it fired a missile towards the southern Israeli city of Beersheba.
Since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade.
Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.
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Iran Holds Funeral for Commanders and Scientists Killed in War with Israel
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Large crowds of mourners dressed in black lined streets in Iran’s capital Tehran as the country held a funeral on Saturday for top military commanders, nuclear scientists and some of the civilians killed during this month’s aerial war with Israel.
At least 16 scientists and 10 senior commanders were among those mourned at the funeral, according to state media, including armed forces chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Revolutionary Guards commander General Hossein Salami, and Guards Aerospace Force chief General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Their coffins were driven into Tehran’s Azadi Square adorned with their photos and national flags, as crowds waved flags and some reached out to touch the caskets and throw rose petals onto them. State-run Press TV showed an image of ballistic missiles on display.
Mass prayers were later held in the square.
State TV said the funeral, dubbed the “procession of the Martyrs of Power,” was held for a total of 60 people killed in the war, including four women and four children.
In attendance were President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior figures including Ali Shamkhani, who was seriously wounded during the conflict and is an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as Khamenei’s son Mojtaba.
“Today, Iranians, through heroic resistance against two regimes armed with nuclear weapons, protected their honor and dignity, and look to the future prouder, more dignified, and more resolute than ever,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who also attended the funeral, said in a Telegram post.
There was no immediate statement from Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since the conflict began. In past funerals, he led prayers over the coffins of senior commanders ahead of public ceremonies broadcast on state television.
Israel launched the air war on June 13, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders as well as civilians in the worst blow to the Islamic Republic since the 1980s war with Iraq.
Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles on Israeli military sites, infrastructure and cities. The United States entered the war on June 22 with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
TRUMP THREAT
Israel, the only Middle Eastern country widely believed to have nuclear weapons, said it aimed to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons.
Iran denies having a nuclear weapons program. The U.N. nuclear watchdog has said it has “no credible indication” of an active, coordinated weapons program in Iran.
Bagheri, Salami and Hajizadeh were killed on June 13, the first day of the war. Bagheri was being buried at the Behesht Zahra cemetery outside Tehran mid-afternoon on Saturday. Salami and Hajizadeh were due to be buried on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would consider bombing Iran again, while Khamenei, who has appeared in two pre-recorded video messages since the start of the war, has said Iran would respond to any future US attack by striking US military bases in the Middle East.
A senior Israeli military official said on Friday that Israel had delivered a “major blow” to Iran’s nuclear project. On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that Israel and the US “failed to achieve their stated objectives” in the war.
According to Iranian health ministry figures, 610 people were killed on the Iranian side in the war before a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday. More than 4,700 were injured.
Activist news agency HRANA put the number of killed at 974, including 387 civilians.
Israel’s health ministry said 28 were killed in Israel and 3,238 injured.
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Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival
Revellers dance as Avril Lavigne performs on the Other Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
i24 News – Chants of “death to the IDF” were heard during the English Glastonbury music festival on Saturday ahead of the appearance of the pro-Palestinian Irish rappers Kneecap.
One half of punk duo based Bob Vylan (who both use aliases to protect their privacy) shouted out during a section of their show “Death to the IDF” – the Israeli military. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show the crowd responding to and repeating the cheer.
This comes after officials had petitioned the music festival to drop the band. The rap duo also expressed support for the following act, Kneecap, who the BCC refused to show live after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – better known by stage name Mo Chara – was charged with a terror offense.
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