Yes. You remember him.

He used to take the weakling’s snack money.

He was stronger.

He was more popular.

He used his strength to intimidate others.

Or it could have been his words.

“If you don’t listen to me, you’ll see!”

There are many bullies in the world.

Those that use strength to intimidate. Those that use violence. Those that use armies.

The Jewish people have a weapon against them.

Prayer.

It says in Tehillim / Psalms (20:8):

“These [nations – battle] with chariots, and these with horses and we [the Jewish people] with the name the L-rd, our G-d we call.”

With G-d’s protection, Our prayer and Torah study can deflect rockets.

Living the Positive

If you look at life most of our life is filled with good. We have air to breathe, water, food, clothes, shelter and all the other good. We have life itself.

Living positive is a matter of putting our focus on the good we have.

Yes, We do have challenges.

Our prayer can bring much blessing.

With it we can overcome the challenges and bullies in our path.

Why Bad things Happen to Good People

In the 13 principles of Belief of Judaism from the RAMBAM, Maimonides,

One says that G-d punishes evil & greatly rewards the good.

Some may ask,

Where is the justice? Why don’t we see it?

Why do Nazi’s live a life of peace, after the cruelty to so many?

Why did the innocent perish, while the cruel thrive?

The Talmud (Tractate: Berachot) says, this is the question that Moses asked G-d.

Why do bad things happen to the good and good to the bad?

The Talmud answers :

G-d said – that a Righteous person sometimes transgresses. He is paid back for the bad in this world and is given a life of eternal happiness in the next world.

The Wicked sometimes do good. So they are paid for the good they do in this world and are punished in the next.

There is justice. We just have to be patient.

Like it says in Ethics of the Fathers / Pirkei Avot (17):

Nitai the Arbelite says: Distance yourself from a bad neighbor & do not become friendly with a wicked person & do not despair from retribution.

One way to interpret the last part is:

Don’t dispair, the wicked will eventually be punished.

If we understand not, still. We are also in good company for

Rabbi Yannai says it is not in our hands [to explain] the tranquility of the wicked & also not the suffering of the righteous. (Pirkei Avot 4:15)

Our job is to do our responsibilities. To get sidetracked or stunted because we don’t understand or because of the bullies is not productive. Find out. Ask questions. But in the end, our questions should not limit us from believing and achieving.

If we believe we can achieve. If we believe it will be good, it will be good.