فارسیEvil challenges belief, yet Judaism offers answers. From Divine trials to collective responsibility, Jewish thought explores why a benevolent God allows suffering. Unpacking Holocaust theology, this article reveals faith’s resilience amidst humanity’s darkest moments.
The problem of evil has long captivated human thought, presenting a persistent challenge to the idea of a Divine being. For many believers, this struggle isn’t just philosophical—it’s personal. They work to shield their faith in an omnipotent deity from the corrosive effects of doubt caused by the existence of evil. This belief isn’t just one of many; it’s the cornerstone of their worldview, the foundation upon which all other values and principles rest. If this cornerstone were to crack, the entire structure of their life would risk collapse. Recognizing this, believers have devoted themselves to defending their faith, crafting arguments and justifications that aim to reconcile the presence of evil with their conviction in a higher power.
The Dilemma
The problem of evil arises from an apparent contradiction between two realities:
- The undeniable existence of evils.
- Religious beliefs about God’s attributes.
On one hand, evil is an undeniable part of the world, categorized as follows:
- Natural Evils: These include phenomena such as diseases, floods, earthquakes, storms, death, and aging.
- Social Evils: Injustice, oppression, theft, crime, war, exploitation, and fraud fall under this category.
- Moral Evils: These refer to human failings such as sin, envy, selfishness, arrogance, and pride.
Meanwhile, religious beliefs describe God as omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent, and perfectly just. Such a being, it seems, would prevent the existence of any form of evil. This leads to a perceived contradiction between God’s attributes and the reality of evil. Since the existence of evil is undeniable, atheist philosophers often conclude that God’s existence must be denied instead.
Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—do not deny the existence of evil, nor do they adopt a dualistic worldview with two competing deities. Instead, they affirm the coexistence of an omniscient, omnipotent, just, and benevolent God with the reality of evil, arguing that these beliefs are not inherently contradictory.
The Jewish View
Judaism’s sacred texts portray God as powerful, wise, just, and benevolent while also acknowledging the presence of evil. The Hebrew Bible frequently references natural, social, and moral evils, accepting them as realities rather than dismissing them as illusions or fabrications. This acknowledgment raises key questions:
- How can a wise, powerful, just, and benevolent God permit the existence of evil?
Causes of evil in the Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible identifies four principal causes for the existence of evils:
- Sin
- Trial
- Satan’s Request: The permission granted to Satan to test humanity.
- Hidden Goodness: Some apparent evils conceal immense benefits and serve higher purposes.
Opinion of Jewish scholars
Prominent Jewish theologians have refused to attribute the existence of evil to the Divine. For instance, it is stated, “No evil descends from above”. Maimonides offers a detailed classification of evils:
- Natural Evils: These are inseparable from the material world, which inherently involves corruption and decay. Maimonides denies attributing such evils to God, considering them an intrinsic aspect of the material universe.
- Social Evils: While more prevalent than natural evils, they are not as widespread as good deeds. Maimonides asserts that such evils, including murder or theft, occur rarely, except during significant conflicts and are not the majority on a global scale.
- Moral Evils: These result from human vices, such as greed, excess in consumption or relationships, and negligence in moderation. Psychological ailments stemming from poor judgment further contribute to moral evils, as the soul becomes attached to unnecessary desires, leading to endless dissatisfaction.
That leaves us with this lingering question: Could an omnipotent God not have created a world without these inherent flaws? If not, then He is not omnipotent. Jewish scholars argue that Divine omnipotence operates within the realm of possibility, and it is impossible to separate the essential characteristics of entities from their inherent nature.
John Hick’s View
Required for growth
John Hick argues that a gap between God and His creations is essential for genuine development. Without this separation, the potential for rational and moral growth would vanish. According to Hick, moral evils are a necessary condition for creating beings with true freedom and autonomy. This freedom allows individuals to make meaningful choices, including their path toward or away from their Creator.
Hannah Arendt’s View
Human failure
In “Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil”, Arendt argues that what turns individuals like Eichmann into murderers and destructive forces is their inability to think. A key trait of such people is revealed in their language and how they express themselves. Instead of engaging in genuine thought, their minds are filled with borrowed beliefs, rigid ideologies, and ingrained prejudices. Whenever they speak, their words come out as a collection of clichés, outdated expressions, and recycled phrases. These fixed patterns of thought act as barriers, preventing original and authentic thinking.
The Holocaust
The problem
The term Holocaust, or Shoah, signifies catastrophe and refers to the systematic destruction of European Jewry by the Nazis during World War II. This event resulted in the deaths of one-third of the Jewish people globally—approximately 73% of the entire Jewish population in Europe, and about 97% of the large Jewish community in Poland. Why did God remain silent?
Was the Holocaust a punishment for the sins of the Jewish community? Various interpretations, rooted in different theological perspectives, attempt to address these questions.
1-The Theory of Sin
A) Sins of the Victims
- Human Responsibility: When tragedy occurs, the focus should not be on questioning God with “Why?” Instead, individuals should search within themselves for answers and take responsibility for their actions and choices.
- Perspective and Accountability: Humans lack the ability to fully grasp Divine motives. A person who appears righteous in the present may carry the burden of sins from a previous life or generation. This perspective emphasizes the complexity of Divine justice, which extends beyond immediate understanding.
- Justice in the Present Life: Suffering and punishment in this life are seen as preferable to facing retribution in the afterlife.
- Accountability of the Community: Accountability extends beyond individual sins to encompass the collective sins of a community. In this framework, parents bear responsibility for their children’s misdeeds, and religious leaders are accountable for the actions of their followers.
B) Responsibility of the Chosen People
A fundamental tenet in Judaism is that God chose the Jewish people as His Chosen Nation, distinguishing them from others. This sacred bond demands devotion and obedience. When the Children of Israel turned away from faith, punishment ensued, followed by repentance and return. This cyclical relationship is evident throughout the Hebrew Bible.
C) The Doctrine of Reincarnation (Gilgul)
Rabbi Chaim Israel Zimmerman argued that many Holocaust victims were reincarnated souls from earlier sinful generations, such as the time of Noah. According to this view, repentance (teshuva) is essential; otherwise, a soul must return to purify itself. This interpretation explains why some survived while others perished.
D) Collective Responsibility
Isaiah chapters 52 and 53 describe a figure bearing the sins of others, enduring suffering on their behalf:
“… We all went astray like sheep, we have turned, each one on his way, and the Lord accepted his prayers for the iniquity of all of us. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he would not open his mouth… because he committed no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth…” (Isaiah 53:6-9).
In this context, the suffering, humiliation, and punishment endured by Holocaust victims are seen as carried on behalf of others’ sins, leading to peace and reconciliation. One possible interpretation is that, much like a righteous individual who bears punishment for the sins of their community, Israel was punished for the sins of the world. For a tragedy as immense as the Holocaust to be perceived as justified, guilt must be framed as collective rather than individual.
E) Zionism as Sin
From the perspective of some Haredi Jews, Zionism was a grave sin that provoked Divine punishment. They argued that the establishment of the State of Israel, driven by human will rather than awaiting the Messiah (Mashiach), defied God’s plan.
F) The Missed Opportunity for Redemption
The Balfour Declaration of 1918 granted the Jewish people the chance to establish a “national home”. However, Chaim Hafetz later observed that throughout history, similar opportunities for salvation had arisen, only to be lost due to the people’s sins. This perspective can also be applied to the horrors of the Hitler era. The unworthiness of the Jewish people, as perceived at the time, turned what could have been a moment of honor and triumph into a period of shame and devastating loss.
2- Suffering as a Divine Test
One prevalent response views suffering as a trial of faith. This perspective is exemplified in Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22), a defining test of obedience and trust in God.
3-The Hidden Face of God—freedom of choice
God granted humanity free will, which is so profound that He does not intervene even when it is misused for evil. Freedom and responsibility are integral to human nature, and without them, humanity would lack moral agency. However, this freedom often leads to destructive choices.
4- Acceptance of Suffering
- Dual Attributes of God: God embodies both justice (din) and mercy (rachamim), which are interconnected. According to Hasidic thought, separating these attributes misinterprets Divine actions. They believe that din and rachamim are deeply intertwined, making it impossible to view the Holocaust as a punishment from God. To do so would mean separating din from rachamim, which they see as inseparable. Since everything is believed to come from God, questioning God’s justice is considered inconceivable.
- Shared Suffering: In Hasidic thought, suffering is not seen as a random event but as an essential part of life. Its origins are believed to be found in God. When people fail to recognize that everything comes from God and that God shares in their suffering, they begin to feel isolated, making it harder to accept and endure pain. According to this belief, God suffers alongside the people of Israel. When His suffering becomes overwhelming, it is the duty of the people of Israel to pray fervently, seek forgiveness, and repent, thereby helping to ease the burden of God’s suffering.
5- The Holocaust as a Historical Continuity
The Holocaust is often seen as yet another tragedy in the long history of Jewish exile, with some viewing calamities as an inherent part of Jewish existence. A Jew is called to maintain a deep connection to Judaism and to recognize that no event or experience, however difficult, is separate from God, who is the source of all things—even the Holocaust. After all, isn’t the Bracha (blessing) recited for misfortunes just as it is for blessings? In this perspective, God is active both in the unfolding of history and in the workings of nature.
6- The Death of God
The central assertions that state that God is dead are:
- God, as portrayed in Jewish tradition, does not exist.
b. The Holocaust occurred.
c. The God described by Judaism could not have allowed the Holocaust to take place. In other words, the traditional Jewish conception of God is negated.
Despite this theological shift, the notion that Judaism as a religion has reached its end is rejected. Religion retains its significance for humanity, and there is no compelling reason to abandon it. Even if “God is dead”, the Torah remains. Although the Torah may have lost its religious authority and control over Jewish life, it remains deeply embedded in the collective consciousness of the Jewish people.
7-Hitler as an Instrument of God
Destruction as a Transformative Progress
The term hurban (destruction) refers to catastrophic events in Jewish history, such as the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC. This first dispersion provided an opportunity for Jews to spread the word of God globally, marking a step forward for humanity.
The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD led to the development of synagogues and the end of ritual sacrifices, elevating Judaism to a higher religious form. This was the second hurban.
The Holocaust represents the third hurban, demanding a transformation of Jewish identity. After this transformative catastrophe, Jews are called to embody justice, mercy, and truth, seeking a closer connection to God through renewal and forgetting the pain of the past.
The Transformation After the Holocaust
The Holocaust signified the end of medieval Jewish life. Most European Jews, whose social and intellectual existence closely resembled medieval times, were killed. Post-Holocaust, the majority of Jews now live in the “modern” and “advanced” world, symbolizing a progression and departure from past religious and cultural confines. The end of the Medieval Age in the world means the end of the Medieval Age for the Jews too.
Hitler as God’s Instrument
Throughout the Bible, we observe instances where God uses individuals to fulfill His purposes, even when their actions seem destructive. For example, Nebuchadnezzar was granted power, glory, and authority by God to subjugate nations and peoples, acting as an instrument of Divine will. Even the destruction of God’s temple was part of this plan, emphasizing that Nebuchadnezzar, despite his apparent autonomy, was ultimately a servant of God.
This perspective can be extended to the events of history, including the Holocaust. In this view, Hitler, like Nebuchadnezzar, served as a tool within a Divine narrative. The six million victims of the Holocaust did not perish due to their own deeds but as a consequence of the collective sins of humanity. Their suffering is seen as a form of purification and a precursor to renewal, paving the way for the creation of something new.
This idea parallels the “suffering servant” described in Isaiah 52:13-14, who endured humiliation, pain, and death for the sake of others. Similarly, the suffering and loss endured during the Holocaust can be understood as a means through which future generations might find peace, reconciliation, and a deeper understanding of humanity’s shared responsibility and purpose.
8-The 614th Commandment
The Amalekites
The Amalekites were the first nation to attack the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt led by Moses, initiating a lasting struggle between disbelief and heresy—symbolized by Amalek—and God’s chosen people. In Divine terms, the Amalekites’ sin is considered particularly abhorrent. The commandment to “remember” (Zachor) serves as a perpetual call for Jews to recall Amalek’s deeds and never forget them. This remembrance is central to Jewish tradition, forming one of the ten daily remembrances. The Sabbath before Purim, known as Shabbat Zachor, is dedicated to this memory, highlighting the Amalekites’ hostility toward Israel.
The 614th Commandment
Jewish tradition holds that there are 613 commandments, divided into 248 positive commandments (actions to perform) and 365 negative commandments (prohibitions). These commandments represent the full spectrum of Divine guidance, given to the Jewish people through revelation.
At a pivotal moment in Jewish history, the commandments reached their ultimate completion through a profound revelation. This revelation came as the voice of God, heard from the Camp of Death, delivering a new directive to the Jewish people—what is now known as the 614th mitzvah. With the emergence of this new commandment, Jews must remain steadfast in preserving their Jewish identity. To abandon it would mean granting victory to Hitler’s ideology.
This responsibility is not exclusive to religious Jews; even secular Jews are called to embrace this mission. Every Jew carries a profound obligation—so significant that it has been recognized as a new mitzvah. This commandment requires not only safeguarding one’s own Jewish identity but also diligently passing it on to future generations. The idea of a 614th mitzvah is revolutionary, yet it remains controversial and is rejected by many within the Orthodox Jewish community.
Closing Reflections
Judaism teaches us a powerful truth: challenges and suffering, while painful, can be catalysts for growth and renewal. The problem of evil is not something to be solved but something to be understood. It pushes us to wrestle with the hard questions, to strengthen our values, and to clarify our purpose.
Author and Source
Author: Arash Abaei, 14 February 2009, Tehran Jewish Committee Library
Source: Haft Didgah-e Kalami Piramun-e Holokast (Theology of the Holocaust: Seven Theological Perspectives on the Holocaust), Mohammad Shams