Suffering as Atonement

MOST POPULAR QUESTIONS
Advertisements

TRENDING

Advertisements

1 min read

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrintFriendlyShare

I have heard it said that the hurt we suffer is an atonement for our mistakes. But if someone hurt me, how can it be atonement for my mistakes? Not that I never make mistakes, but they are often totally unrelated to the person who hurt me. I don't see the connection. Could you explain?

The Aish Rabbi Replies

What happens when a person makes a mistake and chooses to indulge in materialist desires for their own sake, rather that acting in accordance with the will of God? The person moves away from God and becomes attached to the materialism instead.

Suffering has a counter-affect. It gets the person to detach himself somewhat from the physical word -- and focus on meaning, God and spirituality.

Therefore, since the suffering helps the person focus on God, it does not matter who causes the suffering, whether the person is connected to the mistake or not. (Anyway, it is God arranging for the suffering, as a method of realigning your spiritual sensibilities.)

Of course, there are many complexities to this equation, but this is one aspect of how things operate.

Click here to comment on this article
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
EXPLORE
LEARN
MORE
Explore
Learn
Resources
Next Steps
About
Donate
Menu
Languages
Menu
Social
.