great article Thanks Rivka for this article. I am finding more and more as my connection to Breslov deepens that there are no questions. Rabbi Nachman, usually through Rabbi Natan in Likutei Halachot provides insights of such depth and practicality at the same time that make Jewish life so beautiful and meaningful. I have truly discovered a path which is joyful and that is a real priviledge. It's so positive, incredible. I was never satisfied with the litvish approach and with serving Hashem out of fear. Rabbi Nachman motivates you without you even knowing what's happening! For anyone reading this my advice is learn as much as you can about Rabbi Nachman and his teachings, try to understand them but the most important thing is that when you put them into practice, that's when you see how powerful they are. Especially hitbodedut/personal prayer.

Thanks Rivka for this article. I am finding more and more as my connection to Breslov deepens that there are no questions. Rabbi Nachman, usually through Rabbi Natan in Likutei Halachot provides insights of such depth and practicality at the same time that make Jewish life so beautiful and meaningful. I have truly discovered a path which is joyful and that is a real priviledge. It's so positive, incredible. I was never satisfied with the litvish approach and with serving Hashem out of fear. Rabbi Nachman motivates you without you even knowing what's happening! For anyone reading this my advice is learn as much as you can about Rabbi Nachman and his teachings, try to understand them but the most important thing is that when you put them into practice, that's when you see how powerful they are. Especially hitbodedut/personal prayer.

addition to comment: maybe i’m wrong: could be a great opening here i wrote to impassioned comments re this piece. maybe i am wrong. there could be a great opening here in seeing from a much higher, heavenly perspective what we may perceive as tragedy in this world. i don't think that the author was counseling us to tell suffering people "it's good!'…so forgive my implied criticism. the author was instead encouraging us to take a deeper, different look esp. per rav arush's ideas. you are welcome to delete my previous comments, unless, together with this, they would only be helpful and in no way harmful.

i wrote to impassioned comments re this piece. maybe i am wrong. there could be a great opening here in seeing from a much higher, heavenly perspective what we may perceive as tragedy in this world. i don't think that the author was counseling us to tell suffering people "it's good!'…so forgive my implied criticism. the author was instead encouraging us to take a deeper, different look esp. per rav arush's ideas. you are welcome to delete my previous comments, unless, together with this, they would only be helpful and in no way harmful.

i worked with holocaust survivors for years i would never, ever tell them or their families that the shoah was 'good'. no way! the rav who taught me said "everyone who went through the shoah, their souls go to the highest place in heaven". calling the shoah "good" could ch'v cause these people more suffering, G-d forbid. as rav trugman (citing the ari) states, the deaths of the shoah may have been individual tikkunim that only Hashem understands. but who are we to even try to say that directly to one who is suffering? we have to be very careful to honor this kind of suffering: being compassionate and helping hope for the future.

i would never, ever tell them or their families that the shoah was 'good'. no way! the rav who taught me said "everyone who went through the shoah, their souls go to the highest place in heaven". calling the shoah "good" could ch'v cause these people more suffering, G-d forbid. as rav trugman (citing the ari) states, the deaths of the shoah may have been individual tikkunim that only Hashem understands. but who are we to even try to say that directly to one who is suffering? we have to be very careful to honor this kind of suffering: being compassionate and helping hope for the future.

the holocaust was “good”? i must respectfully caution you here: it is not okay to call the shoah (holocaust) "good". nor is it okay to call tragedy that happens to others "good". reb nachum ish gimzo said "gamzu le tovah" this is also for or "to" the good. he was very profound, this rav of rabi akiva. he understood that it may not appear good but it was "for" or "to" the good. it is too severe and potentially harmful for most of us humans to be told that painful tragedy (personal or collective) is 'for the good'. instead, it is more spiritually healthy to see it as 'in Hashem's hands', or, that we don't understand what Hashem is doing, but we are willing to trust that it is 'for the good' or for a tikkun/rectification. still, i would never tell someone sad about the holocaust or a personal loss that it was 'for the best', or for the good, would you? i hope not. maybe, in time, the person will get a better perspective. rav avraham trugman's book 'return again' explains amazing things re gilgulim/reincarnation from shaarei hagilgulim. this is one way to look at tragedy. but, most essentially, when a person is suffering, they first need comfort and support not 'profound insights'. those come with time. i am concerned with how easily you call the holocaust 'good'. i don't think Hashem would have called it good at the time, considering "I am with them in distress" (tehillim)…but i don't know that answer. i am simply asking that you re-evaluate your language and ideas here regarding when we call things 'good'. Hashem Himself tells us that He is with the lowly and humble (yeshaya)…i know i am not on such a level to call such tragedies "good". i'm sorry, but i am very bothered by this. is this the same author that said 'fake it til you make it'? i would suggest that perhaps there needs to be some real clarification on what kind of language really connects with people especially when they are struggling or suffering. suffering is call for compassion. i would never, ever tell one who is suffering that what is happening to them is good. however, by being compassionate and having a positive vision for the future, it can create a receptivity to light which can help the person significantly.

i must respectfully caution you here: it is not okay to call the shoah (holocaust) "good". nor is it okay to call tragedy that happens to others "good". reb nachum ish gimzo said "gamzu le tovah" this is also for or "to" the good. he was very profound, this rav of rabi akiva. he understood that it may not appear good but it was "for" or "to" the good. it is too severe and potentially harmful for most of us humans to be told that painful tragedy (personal or collective) is 'for the good'. instead, it is more spiritually healthy to see it as 'in Hashem's hands', or, that we don't understand what Hashem is doing, but we are willing to trust that it is 'for the good' or for a tikkun/rectification. still, i would never tell someone sad about the holocaust or a personal loss that it was 'for the best', or for the good, would you? i hope not. maybe, in time, the person will get a better perspective. rav avraham trugman's book 'return again' explains amazing things re gilgulim/reincarnation from shaarei hagilgulim. this is one way to look at tragedy. but, most essentially, when a person is suffering, they first need comfort and support not 'profound insights'. those come with time. i am concerned with how easily you call the holocaust 'good'. i don't think Hashem would have called it good at the time, considering "I am with them in distress" (tehillim)…but i don't know that answer. i am simply asking that you re-evaluate your language and ideas here regarding when we call things 'good'. Hashem Himself tells us that He is with the lowly and humble (yeshaya)…i know i am not on such a level to call such tragedies "good". i'm sorry, but i am very bothered by this. is this the same author that said 'fake it til you make it'? i would suggest that perhaps there needs to be some real clarification on what kind of language really connects with people especially when they are struggling or suffering. suffering is call for compassion. i would never, ever tell one who is suffering that what is happening to them is good. however, by being compassionate and having a positive vision for the future, it can create a receptivity to light which can help the person significantly.