Why do bad things happen to good people?

I learned yesterday that a close childhood friend passed away unexpectedly. We were raised together in Fort Wayne at our Temple among about 10 kids in our age group, running the halls of our synagogue during the Torah service our parents kicked us out of because we could not keep quiet, attending Camp Joe Levine Jewish Day Camp together, Hebrew high school, and youth group events. While our mom's played Mah Jong, I remember doing arts and crafts and playing other quiet games, David was always so nice to me - a far cry at the time from the other crazy boys our age. I remember nagging my parents regularly to make plans with his family so we could hang out.

David and I even went to prom together - though attending different high schools, the proms were held down the hall from each other and we ran back and forth all night long. I just found some of the pictures while cleaning out my room before my parents moved to Knoxville. It could be argued that we were quite a spiffy looking couple.

He ushered me into college by inviting me over to his fraternity regularly, sending pledges to pick my friends and I up from our dorm so we could go hang out with them. Its possible that we shared in a few underage beers together along with Lev, another one of our childhood friends. David met his future wife early on in college and they were married just last year.

Being reminded that death as a Jewish milestone is another part of my future work sheds a different light on what it means to become a Rabbi. I think I will constantly wonder why bad things happen to good people, a question pondered for centuries - and I will join the continuum in searching for a reason that seems impossible to find.

This Indian proverb has stuck with me for years

"When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced.
Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

There is no question - the world will cry today and always.

Rabbi Shimon once said, "There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty. However, the crown of a good name is greater than all of them."

Zichrono V'Livracha, May David's name and memory always be for a blessing.





Click here for more information on Judaism, death and mourning.

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