Does Everything Happen For A Reason?

[Ari]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Nothing in this world is random, im listining about this RIGHT NOW, of which is also not random.
Take a look at it, you would like it.
http://www.torahanytime.com/rabbi_wallerstein.html
11/28/07 SOLD! - Ohr Naava

[Ari]

Great link.  Thanks Tzvi.

[Sarah]

A reason as in a cause?

Or a purposeful reason, good or bad?

[Ari]

Good question, Sarah.  Both I guess, but probably more the latter.

[Sarah]

Some people say that with suffering, comes also a relief....maybe not in this life but for those who deserve it certainly in the after-life.

The reason to peoples suffering, if caused by moral evil is usually in compensation for the pleasure of other people. Like in Africa, there are starving people, whilst the rich government officials banquet with the money they've stolen from their people. Whereas, with a natural disaster, it could be God's reason which we shouldn't always try to determine....well I don't think. Sometimes people say that God is punishing others through natural disasters but only He knows, unless we have been told, like from previous stories of the past in revelations.

[Daniel]

I personally don't like or agree with the expression that everything happens "for" a reason. I believe that everything happens "because" of a reason. In this world, effect follows cause, thus things happening "because" of a reason. When someone says things happen "for" a reason, to me that sounds like it's saying that cause follows effect and that whatever situation occurred was predestined to occur and that the "reason" for that happening lies somewhere in the future and has yet to be revealed. Even though it sounds kind of nice and mushy on a spiritual or metaphysical level, it doesn't seem to make much sense on a realistic or rational level. When something unforuntate happens which is eventually followed by something positive happening, someone might say, "Aha! Ya see? That's the 'reason' this previous unfortunate situation must have happened!" But in reality, that's not the reason, that's just merely the effect.

[Sarah]

Though thinking about it.....people mean theres a reason to everything, in the context of it being purposefull good. God has his reasons, apart from that, thats probably why we get sins, because we do bad things without sufficient reason. So the expression isn't that valid, is it?

[Daniel]

Though thinking about it.....people mean theres a reason to everything, in the context of it being purposefull good. G-d has his reasons, apart from that, thats probably why we get sins, because we do bad things without sufficient reason. So the expression isn't that valid, is it?

I don't think that everything happens because of G-d. I think certain things happen for no rational reason. If a family member suddenly dies of an illness, I don't think it's the working of G-d. There are just some things that happen in life that are beyond our control and don't have any rhyme or reason behind it.

For example, several years ago, my aunt tragically passed away from a sudden bout of a rare form of deadly pneumonia. My uncle has met a wonderful lady now and is now planning on marrying her in another couple of months. Now someone who believes in the old adage of "Everything happening for a reason" might say that my uncle's future wife is the "reason" why his previous wife passed away. But I don't see it that way. I see it that the "reason" why my aunt died was that she contracted a deadly form of pneumonia, period, and that my uncle's future wife is the "effect" of my aunt passing away, and NOT the "reason." That's my take anyway.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Everything happens becuase of G-d. G-d has to approve everything, even something tiny, how much more soo when someone dies. BUT maybe you can counter argue and say that G-d took away his chein currently, so what happens (the bad expecially) is because G-d's grace isn't currently upon us (to a large extent, like its supposed to be and will be in the near Future when we merit it).

[dejavu]

i believe random but different perspective.

[Trumpeldor]

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction-Newton's 3rd law.

[ramen]

yes definitely.

[Dr. Dan]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

Well...we have to be careful how we characterize a "random" event for happening for a specific reason.  I say that things do happen for a reason, but to stay away from what that reason is...you can speculate...but you shouldn't say that A led to B. Like for example, Katrina happened because the blacks there were evil and we gave land to the palestinians...We can speculate it..but we cannot say that it happened for sure.

[Dr. Dan]

I personally don't like or agree with the expression that everything happens "for" a reason. I believe that everything happens "because" of a reason. In this world, effect follows cause, thus things happening "because" of a reason. When someone says things happen "for" a reason, to me that sounds like it's saying that cause follows effect and that whatever situation occurred was predestined to occur and that the "reason" for that happening lies somewhere in the future and has yet to be revealed. Even though it sounds kind of nice and mushy on a spiritual or metaphysical level, it doesn't seem to make much sense on a realistic or rational level. When something unforuntate happens which is eventually followed by something positive happening, someone might say, "Aha! Ya see? That's the 'reason' this previous unfortunate situation must have happened!" But in reality, that's not the reason, that's just merely the effect.

I disagree to a certain affect. Your logic is correct..Things to happen because of a reason.

but sometimes, someone young and close to you, Gd forbid dies...and not because they were careless or did drugs or anything terrible..it just happened because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  However...i do believe that there is as future reason for that happening...yes, it does add the mushy factor to let go and accept it happening...but it does move you forward and put a betetr perspective of life, hopefully.

[Daniel]

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction-Newton's 3rd law.

That is true, yet is the converse of this statement true? For every reaction, is there an equal and opposite action?

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

Well...we have to be careful how we characterize a "random" event for happening for a specific reason.  I say that things do happen for a reason, but to stay away from what that reason is...you can speculate...but you shouldn't say that A led to B. Like for example, Katrina happened because the blacks there were evil and we gave land to the PLO/Hamas Arab Muslim Nazis...We can speculate it..but we cannot say that it happened for sure.

 We maybe no, but when people are close to the Torah and also "are connected", then when someone like that says something then its worth believing. Anyway each Jewish individual is supposed to have that level of Emuna where one sees the happenings of his/her sorroundings and even more so global events as messages from G-d to him. (but before that one has to have the lower and middle levels of Emuna- Believing in G-d's prodidence that everything happens for a reason, their is no punishment without sin and that G-d does things for your ultimate good- Check "the Garden Of Emuna" where the Whole boook is about Emuna).
 Back to Katrina- Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and other Gedolim said what they did because threw the Torah and understanding of what the people their were doing (everyone knows the type of city new Orleans was) they were able to piece everything together.

[Trumpeldor]

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction-Newton's 3rd law.

That is true, yet is the converse of this statement true? For every reaction, is there an equal and opposite action?

Sure, if reactions are considered 'actions'. If not, then no.

[Dr. Dan]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

Well...we have to be careful how we characterize a "random" event for happening for a specific reason.  I say that things do happen for a reason, but to stay away from what that reason is...you can speculate...but you shouldn't say that A led to B. Like for example, Katrina happened because the blacks there were evil and we gave land to the PLO/Hamas Arab Muslim Nazis...We can speculate it..but we cannot say that it happened for sure.

 We maybe no, but when people are close to the Torah and also "are connected", then when someone like that says something then its worth believing. Anyway each Jewish individual is supposed to have that level of Emuna where one sees the happenings of his/her sorroundings and even more so global events as messages from G-d to him. (but before that one has to have the lower and middle levels of Emuna- Believing in G-d's prodidence that everything happens for a reason, their is no punishment without sin and that G-d does things for your ultimate good- Check "the Garden Of Emuna" where the Whole boook is about Emuna).
 Back to Katrina- Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and other Gedolim said what they did because threw the Torah and understanding of what the people their were doing (everyone knows the type of city new Orleans was) they were able to piece everything together.

Maimonedes wouldnt' have accepted that though...it's a very unJewish way of thinking.

I can say, on the other hand, that evil people will be blind towards the poor levees...and thus by not repairing them or considering the downfall of a terrible hurricane, ended up getting their just medicine

However, i think it quite messed up to tell a father burying his child due to katrina that Gd did this because the people of New Orleans were evil..that is sooo cold and callous!  You would say the same thing about the 1.5 million children that were murdered during the Shoah?  Come on! that's messed up! I strongly disagree with Rabbi Ovadia yosef and the other Gedolim who say such cold things like that...where is the compassion?!

[Kiwi]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

You need something to compare too, without light how would you know darkness, without loss how would you know life.

Everything is balanced, and having a greater faith beyond human understanding helps people to cope with their daily lives.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

It seems like a lot of people like this expression, but when I see the cruelty and huge disparities in the world I often wonder.  I have also noticed that a lot of people that say this are often very priviledged.  Any thoughts?

Well...we have to be careful how we characterize a "random" event for happening for a specific reason.  I say that things do happen for a reason, but to stay away from what that reason is...you can speculate...but you shouldn't say that A led to B. Like for example, Katrina happened because the blacks there were evil and we gave land to the PLO/Hamas Arab Muslim Nazis...We can speculate it..but we cannot say that it happened for sure.

 We maybe no, but when people are close to the Torah and also "are connected", then when someone like that says something then its worth believing. Anyway each Jewish individual is supposed to have that level of Emuna where one sees the happenings of his/her sorroundings and even more so global events as messages from G-d to him. (but before that one has to have the lower and middle levels of Emuna- Believing in G-d's prodidence that everything happens for a reason, their is no punishment without sin and that G-d does things for your ultimate good- Check "the Garden Of Emuna" where the Whole boook is about Emuna).
 Back to Katrina- Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and other Gedolim said what they did because threw the Torah and understanding of what the people their were doing (everyone knows the type of city new Orleans was) they were able to piece everything together.

Maimonedes wouldnt' have accepted that though...it's a very unJewish way of thinking.

I can say, on the other hand, that evil people will be blind towards the poor levees...and thus by not repairing them or considering the downfall of a terrible hurricane, ended up getting their just medicine

However, i think it quite messed up to tell a father burying his child due to katrina that Gd did this because the people of New Orleans were evil..that is sooo cold and callous!  You would say the same thing about the 1.5 million children that were murdered during the Shoah?  Come on! that's messed up! I strongly disagree with Rabbi Ovadia yosef and the other Gedolim who say such cold things like that...where is the compassion?!

 If you say so, then bring some proof from the Rambam.
 And about compassion, it is compassionate when a Rav tells people of their mistakes and the fact that people have to correct them. Also it is compassionate to explain what happens (the truth) and show that their is order in this world, and G-d makes everything + He is just and not cruel, but because people mess up He punishes them (and expecially for the Jews to see the message)
 What you are saying is like- a doctor who sees his patient who can die becuase of something. According to you the doctor shouldn't tell the patient his situation and just let him expire, while on the other hand a good doctor would tell his patient his situation and what needs to be done for him to correct himself. We cant keep living in an illusion thinking that everything will be okay, without us doing what is right.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Nu where's you answer  . Next time please provide proof, instead of stating something false. What I posted is something that not I myself made up, but comes from a famous book, by a famous Rav (Rav Arush Slita) who brings text and proof from many places in Torah).
 Im not personally offended, but it really p*sses me off when people make statements and because they want some legitimacy state that the Rambam says it.

[Dr. Dan]

Nu where's you answer  . Next time please provide proof, instead of stating something false. What I posted is something that not I myself made up, but comes from a famous book, by a famous Rav (Rav Arush Slita) who brings text and proof from many places in Torah).
 Im not personally offended, but it really p*sses me off when people make statements and because they want some legitimacy state that the Rambam says it.

Savlanoot!!!!

Maimonides (1135-1204) simply said that we may not say that G-d does so and so because a human does so and so. This has been normative Judaism. There is no tit for tat in our religious belief system. Jews have become too Christianized in their theology.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Nu where's you answer  . Next time please provide proof, instead of stating something false. What I posted is something that not I myself made up, but comes from a famous book, by a famous Rav (Rav Arush Slita) who brings text and proof from many places in Torah).
 Im not personally offended, but it really p*sses me off when people make statements and because they want some legitimacy state that the Rambam says it.

Savlanoot!!!!

Maimonides (1135-1204) simply said that we may not say that G-d does so and so because a human does so and so. This has been normative Judaism. There is no tit for tat in our religious belief system. Jews have become too Christianized in their theology.

 Right, and where does he say so?  Again no proof, just making some statement.
Rabbanim know a lot more that someone with an opinion, and no this isn't Judaism becoming cristianized, you should go learn some Torah and then speak, don't post things that are only convenient to you without the right proof and without having Daat- first learn Torah and then make an opinion.

[jdl4ever]

There is nothing we can say on this thread or anything that any Rabbi on this planet can tell you to explain the ways of G-d, the most they can do is guide you in the right direction.  Trying to understand G-d and his perfect ways is impossible for us to understand completely so we try our best but it can only be understood yourself by thinking about it on your own and looking into the Torah, no one can explain it to you since it is a hidden area that you must work on your own and feel the answers as best as you can by yourself.  It is lifelong quest that every individual has a different potential of understanding and no two people understand the same way but in the end not even the angels understand the ways of G-d to its entirety, only G-d himself understands his own oneness and perfection.  If you look into the Torah, live the Torah and think about it over many years, some answers will reveal themselves about the ways of G-d.