Why the Soul Can Never Be Destroyed: Faith, Suffering, and Eternal Purpose

We cannot begin to fathom how beloved a person becomes to the Creator when they devote themselves entirely, in body, soul, and possessions, to the love of God.

This truth must be clear: Every human being is made of body and soul. The body, ultimately, returns to the dust — "For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." But the essence of a person is their pure soul. Six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust — an unimaginable blow to their physical existence. But their souls? The soul of a Jew can never be conquered. In fact, the more the body suffers, the greater the eternal joy that awaits the soul.

This is why we cannot always understand God's accounting and why the righteous and devout sometimes suffer. We’re only seeing part of the picture.

“She Wouldn’t Have Wanted to Return”

In a letter of comfort written by the great sage Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (the “Steipler Gaon”) — quoted in Karyana D’igarta, vol. 2, Letter 40 — he addresses the family of a righteous young woman who was killed sanctifying God’s Name. The letter, sent to her brother, reads: “I was informed by so-and-so of the terrible news about your righteous sister of blessed memory, who was murdered in an act of Kiddush Hashem (sanctifying God’s name). I join in the deep sorrow of the bereaved parents — may God comfort them.  Truly, for this righteous woman, there is no need to worry. She has risen to an exalted and wondrous level of eternal rest in the highest heavens, far greater even than the reward of a lifelong tzaddik (righteous person) who serves God through Torah and mitzvot. As explained at the end of Tractate Pesachim, ‘No one can stand in the presence of those killed in Lod’ — they who gave their lives for God. And it is absolutely clear that if she were given the chance to return to her former life in this world, she would decline. What would she gain from returning to a world filled with pain and suffering, when she is now basking in eternal joy, holiness, and divine love? The real sorrow lies with the grieving parents and family. May the Blessed One comfort them, heal their pain, and shower the entire family with every blessing, joy, abundance, long life, success, and divine assistance. Amen.”

“As a Father Disciplines His Child…”

We must never lose faith in God's loyalty to us, even when things appear painfully cruel.

After one of the horrific terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, where many innocent Jews were brutally murdered, someone asked: “The Torah says, ‘You shall know in your heart that just as a father disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you’ (Deut. 8:5). Are we really to believe that what we’re experiencing is the discipline of a loving Father? What kind of father strikes his child so violently, to the point that limbs are torn apart? Can that truly be called fatherly discipline?”

This was my answer: Our vision is short and limited, while God’s is eternal. He sees what we cannot. His concern is not just for the body, but for the soul, which lives forever. The pleasures of the soul, for those who follow God's path, are beyond any physical pleasure we know. Similarly, the consequences to the soul, if it is damaged, are far more painful than anything we can comprehend in this world. Even divine punishments are intended for purification and healing of the soul.

God’s Accounting Is Not Like Ours

When God allows suffering in this world, it is calibrated precisely to what is best for the eternal benefit of the person, either to elevate their reward in the World to Come or to prevent far worse spiritual loss. All of it is within His deep mercy.

God does not adjust His vision to match our limited understanding. Just as a father might deny his young child a bag of candy, knowing it will cause sleeplessness and toothaches, even if the child cries and accuses him of cruelty, the wise father holds firm out of love. The same is true of a doctor who refuses to cancel a lifesaving surgery, even if it causes pain. Would we consider him cruel? Of course not.

The same is true with God. He alone understands the value of the soul compared to the body. He sees the long-term purpose in what we see only as tragedy.

A Parable: What Matters More — The Box or What’s Inside?

Imagine someone whose home was burglarized. The thief emptied the safe that contained diamonds and cash, yet the man dances in the street, overjoyed. When asked why, he says, “Because the burglar left the safe itself behind!” Clearly, such a person would be considered a fool.

But if the thief had taken only the box and left all the diamonds and money inside, we would all celebrate.

The body is just the container. The soul is the treasure. Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust — their bodies were attacked, but their souls untouched. Their souls soared to Heaven, to bask in God’s eternal light.

We must remember: the true self is the soul. The pain of the body, as horrific as it is, cannot damage the eternity of the soul. That is where God’s love, purpose, and justice ultimately reside.