“To Remember and Not to Forget”

A letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe z”l to the author and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel z”l. In this letter, the Rebbe explains his systematic teaching on the intricacies of the issue of the Holocaust and faith. A document that must be carefully read.

Presented in honour of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s 30th yahrzeit (anniversary of death), courtesy of JEM and the Lubavitch Library

Nisan 24, 5725 (April 26, 1965)

“By chance” I came across his (Elie Wiesel’s) article in the Passover issue of “Jewish Advocate” – “On Jewish Atheists.” “By chance,” because his article appears on the other side of my letter on the subject of “Dialogue.” But surely it is unnecessary to clarify that with us, Jews, there is no matter of coincidences at all, because everything is ordained by Divine Providence.

Since a Jew is always looking for clues, I find in the aforementioned meeting of our articles a possibility to take advantage of the opportunity and to write him a few lines, after the too long break in our correspondence, or – a few words in a meeting.

By the way, I was told that he was present several times at the “meetings,” but for some reason he didn’t want to get any closer.

Naturally, his article piqued my interest and I read it with interest.

The writer, who first believed that “the infamous (or tragic-comic) rabbi’s outburst against G-d was an expression of protest (against the injustice of the world).” I guess it’s just a play on words, because he surely knows that someone who was educated in a seminary of the movement, whose entire philosophy is against struggle and confrontation, and the trend is only to make life easier and more comfortable – does not belong to such a level.

The greatest believer is the one who can argue

I agree with you, of course, that the complaint “shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?” (Genesis 18:25) can be authentic and can have its proper force only when it breaks forth from the pain-filled heart of a deep believer. Moreover we find that indeed the first one who ever expressed this complaint was Abraham our forefather, the greatest believer and the father of “believers, sons of believers” (Gemara Shabbat 97a). We are also told by the sages that the first to have posed the question of “the righteous one who suffers, the wicked one who prospers” was none other than our teacher Moses (Gemara Berachot 7a), the same one who explained to the Jews, and to the entire world, the idea of “I am the L‑rd your G‑d” and “you shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:2), where the category of “other gods” includes the human intellect and understanding, when one makes these into idols and supreme authorities.

For this reason I was surprised that you did not see the course of thought through to the end and bring out its conclusion. After all—as you know—the answer to the complaint of Moses our teacher—according to the account of our sages, of blessed memory, when shown how Rabbi Akiva’s flesh was ripped off with iron combs, etc., Moses our teacher burst out: “This is Torah, and this is its reward?!”—the answer to this was: “Silence! Thus it arises in the supernal mind!”

Let us remember that Moses our teacher’s claim was not expressed in words alone, but mainly in thought, and therefore the answer (of G-d) to “be silent” was not only a command not to speak about it, but also to refrain from thinking about it.

And the only explanation is – “Thus it arose in the (higher) thought,” which actually does not constitute an explanation at all. Nevertheless, this did not weaken the faith of Moses our teacher, nor that of other authentic questioners and men. On the contrary, this only served to strengthen their faith, something to be found explicitly in the case of Job; likewise in the case of Abraham our forefather, who not only stood fast by his faith but was also able to withstand every test; and likewise the other “rebels” who maintained a deep faith until the last day of their lives.

I think you will agree with me that it is no mere coincidence that all authentic questioners retained their trust in G‑d. Rather, it could in no way be otherwise. So long as the question is asked with integrity, it is logical that such a deep feeling can come only from the conviction that true justice is the justice that stems from a super-human source, that is, from something higher than both human intellect and human feeling. It is for this reason precisely that the question unsettles not only a person’s emotion and intellect, but also his interiority and the essence of his being.

But after the initial tempestuous assault, he has to realize that the entire approach on which the question is based, and of wishing to understand with the intellect that which is higher than the intellect, is something that cannot take place. Moreover, he must—after a rattling outrage and a thorough grieving—ultimately come to the conclusion: Nevertheless ani maamin (I believe)! On the contrary—even more strongly.

There was nothing new about the Holocaust

The above refers to his article. But there is another point in the matter, a point that touches all the problems, and it is surprising that it is ignored. I mean the following:

After all, the whole matter of the “contrast” mentioned with faith, is not a new thing that has surfaced in our generation. Our nation has already gone through massacres and exterminations in previous generations. It is possible that the Crusades, for example, in terms of the relative scope and appropriateness, were no easier than those of Hitler, and to this is added the difference that at that time there was not even a glimmer of hope that the situation would change; the slaughters were carried out in the name of the man and the Trinity, which in the Jewish sense is true idolatry, which Jews could not accept in any way; after the Turks were defeated by the Crusaders there was no hope for any “allies.” While during Hitler’s time the slaughters took place “simply” out of savagery and the animal nature of man, and we could hope that maybe the world would be shocked after all, and the main thing is that the Allies would finally win, and put an end to Hitler’s name.

In other words: The believing Jew until 1940, who was born in the 20th century and knew about Jewish history and our people’s experiences, with all the decrees and exterminations of the bearers of the cross (Crusaders) and before that, until Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, etc., he can only ask, why he and his family are involved in Hitler’s plan; but actually the constant matter of “rising against us to destroy us” (Passover Hagada) and with some success, there was nothing new about it: in any case Hitler could not harm his belief in the Master of the World. Only those whose faith was weak beforehand and who was looking for a “foundation” for denying the Master of the World, found such a foundation, so to speak, in the Hitler case.

Not only was the world silent, it was also pleased

The Hitler case indeed brought something new, but in a different way – in the field of human development, culture and progress.

Many believed – especially among the so-called enlightened – that in the 20th century, after achieving such progress, with various “high” philosophical systems, with high education on a wide scale, with such a system of schools and so many universities, with such a developed culture and such good manners, that what happened in the “dark days of the Middle Ages” could not happen again. This opinion was expressed in literature, newspapers, and also in oral conversations of leading personalities and thinkers. In doing so, they wanted to contradict the “old-fashioned” approach of the Tanach (Torah, Prophets, and Writings), that the “kindness of the nations is sin” (Proverbs 14:34), and the opinion of the Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) that “it is a known fact that Eisav (Esau) hates Yaakov (Jacob).” Suddenly the great collapse came, and all the culture and progress of the 20th century crumbled. It turned out that there is no contradiction in the fact that a person on the one hand is a philosopher, or a poet, with good manners, and is respected in high society in the salon in Berlin, and the same person comes to Treblinka and the like and does all the same things that were done there. And we are not talking about exceptional cases, monsters in human form, but about 100 million people, an entire nation. And in the meantime – in the language of the title of one of his articles – “The world is silent.” And to this we can add a subheading, that a very considerable part of the world was pleased that the “thing” was being done (even [or despite] that it was being done by others).

If the Hitler case is supposed to shock any beliefs, it should not only shock, but also clearly prove that one should not rely on the feeling of justice and human integrity, even when the person has acquired a higher education and university approval, and is also the son of a qualified academic.

Unfortunately for us, we are afraid to come out openly with this tangible conclusion, not to mention the logical results that the conclusion should lead to regarding everyday life. This inexplicable avoidance is unfortunately also found in religious speakers, and in those who have seen with their own eyes what people are capable of doing if left to their own devices. And this, as stated at the beginning of the letter, because they are looking to make life easier and more comfortable, and for sleep to be more restful. Because it is easier to go along with the world, even though it is the same world that was silent, and to a large extent was pleased in its heart.

It is important to remember and not forget – but not only this…

And now I allow myself a personal comment, related to our conversation when we met. His series of articles “And the World was Silent” again awakened in me the idea, which I would like to express here, on this occasion:

To remember and not to forget, as the Torah says: remember what Amalek did to you – it is clear that it is definitely a positive thing; in the words of our sages z”l, this is a positive commandment. Especially when you see the developing trend, and the efforts to forget and cause to forget.

But after all this, remembering – is only one part of the task assigned to us. The other part, and perhaps even more important, is to actively work and influence against the so-called “Final Solution” that Hitler, just like Haman, plotted.

The reaction should be expressed in actions in the direction of “so they did multiply and so they got strength” (Exodus 1:12). In order to achieve this goal, the indignation arising from constant writing and not forgetting, however important it may be, will not help. It is necessary to increase and cultivate the encouragement to build the Jewish People, as the Jewish People, from the simple point of view of being “fruitful and proliferate and increased and became very very strong” (Exodus 1:6) – is the complete opposite of the “Final Solution” that was planned.

As in all things, so also in this, it is important – in addition to verbal encouragement – to show a living example. Especially one who experienced all these things himself, surely needs to show that not only did Hitler – may his name be blotted out – did not win, but on the contrary, in defiance of him and his assistants, he actually started a large family with sons and daughters and grandchildren.

I will permit myself to say in the strongest possible terms that despite how important it is to relate what happened (in the Holocaust) to the present generation, and notwithstanding how hard it is to free ourselves of those memories and experiences, in my view our most important mission is to fulfill “againt your will, you live,” (Avot 4:22) with the emphasis on “you live” – that the liveliness should be apparent.

In other words, you must make every effort to tear yourself away from your memories and adopt a lifestyle with a stable structure – married life – and establish a Jewish home and a Jewish family.

This will certainly bring about Hitler’s true downfall – that he was not successful in his attempts at making it that there be one less Vizhnitzer Chassid in the world (Elie Wiesel grew up as a Vizhnitzer chassid). On the contrary, you will raise children and grandchildren who are Vizhnitzer chassidim until the end of time.

I don’t mean this as a witticism, even if I am not being precise with my words; I mean a Vizhnitzher or a Lubavitcher chassid or anyone who keeps Torah and mitzvahs in general. However it turns out, that way will surely be good. My main point is that just as you survived more difficult things in your life and made it to America, so too, if you truly want it, you will attain this as well, and G-d will grant you success.

Is the letter too long? Well, if you get married in the near future, kedat Moshe v’Yisrael (in accordance with Jewish tradition) and with mazel tov, then my writing it, and the bother of your having to read it, will certainly have been worth it.

With thanks to Chabad.org and Jewishmom.com for assistance with the English translations of the letter.