Japan...

My heart goes out to Japan and the Japanese.

It's absolutely disheartening to see what happens there.

The Japanese have been fearing a huge earthquake for a very long time now, and tried to prepare for it as best as they could, using their superb technology and impressive modern methods and devices.

When I see the pictures from Japan, the scene from above looks as if a little child wrecked havoc with his little toy boats, cars and houses. He shook the rug on which they were placed and spilled water over them.

Believers around the world ask themselves what happened there, why did G-d do that to Japan. We have to look at the psychological result of the earthquake and tsunami to understand perhaps why.

When you see such pictures, you realize that no matter how technologically sophisticated man is, Nature overpowers man in an overwhelming way.

There is no way around it.

By wrecking havoc with a part of Japan, G-d perhaps wanted to tell the entire world: "you cannot believe in your own power, you shouldn't trust your own achievements as the answer to everything. Everything you have accomplished is there because I have allowed you to accomplish it. Everything you successfully do, you do because I enable and inspire you to do it. Your powers are limited, so don't over trust them. Instead, you have to realize I AM the source and origin of everything that exists and that happens in this world. I AM the only Power in this world you should really trust and turn to. I AM the only One Truth, so don't blind yourselves with lesser powers such as yours".

I believe the disaster hit in such magnitude in Japan of all places, because Japan is the symbol of man's technological power and accomplishment. Japan has been using all of its technological power to prepare for a huge earthquake they had known would sometime strike. They used everything in their power. But their power wasn't enough to escape the tragedy. Man's power can never equal that of G-d's. And G-d, I believe, wanted to remind the whole world that His power is the only true power in this world.

 

The psalmist reminds us:

"By the word of G-d were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap; He layeth up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear G-d; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it stood. G-d bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect. The counsel of G-d standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Psalms 31, 6-11).

 

G-d's wrath in Japan is actually a reminder for us all, all mankind, that He is there, and that if we trust Him and acknowledge His presence in every aspect of our lives, we will live in Truth, and our lives will be more meaningful and beautiful.

 

I pray for the surviving Japanese people, who have carried the brunt for us all, to speedily recover and heal.