The "rabbi" of the Conservative synagogue in Pittsburgh where the massacre took place [who oddly enough wears a broad rimmed black hat, which says more about his taste for fashion than about his hashkafos] has gotten a great deal of publicity recently. He is being interviewed left and right. He emphasizes that we must eliminate hate from within our midst and stays away from politicizing the tragedy [and blaming the President, as is fashionable]. That is praiseworthy.
However, I saw him give a speech where he referenced the pasuk "Hashem ro'i lo echsar" - Hashem is my Shephard, I shall not lack. He explained that the pasuk means that since G-d is with me, I will not lack. But what do we do, he cried out, if G-d CAN'T provide me with what I need. He CAN'T return to us the people who were taken away. [That is approximately what he said].
Being a rabbi or even one who just experienced a deeply traumatic experience doesn't excuse blasphemy. G-d can do whatever he wants. He can give life and He can allow it to be taken away [or take it away himself]. He chooses not to restore the lives of dead people at this time but at a future point in time all those who merit [i.e. believers] will come back - with their bodies.
I once read a book by a Conservative rabbi who had experienced a lot of suffering in his life. His explanation was that god would LIKE to help but he just can't. All in all, he is a "good guy" but he just can't do it all. [עפ"ל]
When your god [that you invented] is so limited and almost pathetic, it makes sense that your movement is dying out. Even many of those who still identify as Conservative or Reform aren't attending "services". In this case that was a huge bracha, because at about 10:00am the synagogue was virtually empty, so relatively few people were killed.
My tefilla is that nothing like this should ever happen again and that all Jews should return to our tradition - even the so called rabbis!!
There is a lot more to say [theologically] and I hope to address the issues in an upcoming shiur אי"ה.
