video\/mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>A slightly sad day.<\/p>
Exactly eighty years ago, on this day, the Auschwitz extermination camp was established.<\/p>
That is, the German people decided they didn't have the time to eliminate people one by one; they needed to do it en masse, as time was of the essence.<\/p>
With precise Nazi-German efficiency, they created a camp with the purpose of mass extermination.<\/p>
This teaches us how far a person can degrade.<\/p>
“Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death” (Avot 2:4) applies to each of us at every level, for often in foolishness or grand delusions, or other reasons, a person can descend to the lowest levels, and reach a point where they cannot believe their own behavior, much like the descendants of those corrupted and vile individuals today cannot comprehend their ancestors’ reprehensible actions.<\/p>
Once, a Holocaust survivor came to the Lubavitcher Rebbe and said that after what he had seen in Auschwitz, he was very angry with Hashem. The Rebbe told him: “If you are angry with Hashem, that means you believe in His existence".<\/p>
He replied, "Indeed I believe He exists, but how can I trust Him?".<\/p>
The Rebbe said to him: "After witnessing Auschwitz, do you have faith in humanity?". The Holocaust survivor replied: "Absolutely not, if the most enlightened people in the world fell to such depths, I cannot trust anyone".<\/p>
The Rebbe told him, "This is the great lesson of the Holocaust, one cannot trust any human being!".<\/p>
The last one you can trust is Hashem, because at least you know He is capable of actions that you are not obligated to understand. But a man who has reached such low depths can never be justified.<\/p>
Each of us should always consider taking place as second or third after the great divine power, acknowledging that in a moment of bribery, anger, or misguided fervor, we can descend into far greater catastrophes than we can imagine.<\/p>
Strengthen your faith, empower Hashem instead of ourselves, and remember to save ourselves from descending into inner and outer depths.<\/p>
Bless you!<\/p>
(Photo: Shutterstock)
