The Jewish world was shocked and horrified this week at the terrible news of the brutal murder of 8 year old Leiby Kletzky of Brooklyn, NY.
There are times when words fail us, not because there are no words, but because they lack the capacity to express the depth of the feelings and emotions they contain. When the young pure and holy life of Leiby Kletzky was brutally snuffed out this week in Boro Park, the world trembled and the Jewish world in particular was shaken to the core. There are questions but there are no answers.
What was the response of Leiby's father? Standing before thousands, Reb Nachman Kletzky solemnly and tearfully declared: "G-d gives and G-d takes. Thank you G-d, for giving us Leiby for nine years. We have to thank You for what You gave us. Pray for your parents, your sisters and the rest of your family, including the entire Jewish nation, which is now part of our family".
No one should ever have to experience the pain that Kletzky family feels. But truthfully we are all connected and their pain is truly our pain. Our response to such an outrageous act of evil must be with an outrageous act of goodness. Choose a meaningful deed of indiscriminate kindness to bring comfort to young Leiby’s soul. May Hashem wipe away the tears of sadness and replace them with tears of gladness and redemption.