Surviver Stories 9/11 - Hashgacha Pratis

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 5:58 pm

Someone just told me this:

Surfboard season on Long Beach, New York, begins in September and runs throughout the year when the waves are big. In general, the second week of September always has big waves. The year of 9/11, the waves were exceptionally big on the date of September 11 so many people who like to surf called in sick that day.

Video of surfing on Long Beach during a hurricane (otherwise waves too small in summer):

amother

Oak

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 6:26 pm

amother wrote:

What are you trying to say?

amother

Oak

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 7:06 pm

I feel that there is often very little common sense in Judaism. So almost 3000 people died with thousands more injured, people jumping to their deaths from the top of skyscrapers yet a few people might have missed work that day and we are supposed to see a blessing in 9-11? Does this make sense to anyone?

tigerwife

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 7:19 pm

amother wrote:

Did anyone say you should see a blessing in 9/11?
Hashgacha pratis means realizing that everything is orchestrated by H’.

amother

Oak

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 7:24 pm

tigerwife wrote:

Did anyone say you should see a blessing in 9/11?
Hashgacha pratis means realizing that everything is orchestrated by H’.

The implications was that chasdei hashem, 9-11 was a good surfing day and a few people missed work.

tigerwife

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 7:29 pm

It was also during selichos, so some Jewish men were late as well and their lives were saved. It is a miracle that they were saved this way, but in no way detracts from the tragedy. Would you prefer that these kinds of miracles were not spoken about out of respect for the dead? Is it not preferable to recognize the Hand of Hashem (much harder to see when all is bad)? I am geniunely asking. These are very difficult questions.

Kumphort

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 7:34 pm

The same hashgacha that led some people to be saved led those other people to be killed. It makes for a better story when you hear of people being saved but you are mistaken if you think that random people died for lack of hashgacha

Mommyg8

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 8:58 pm

I know that I will be stoned for saying this, but I think it is appropriate to be grateful that so many frum men were spared.

Personally, I'm happy that my dh was late for work that day. Sorry if that comes across selfish....

Last edited by Mommyg8 on Sun, Sep 16 2018, 9:05 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 9:04 pm

For those who find it in poor taste to share miracle stories of 9/11, do you also find Holocaust survivor stories in poor taste?

I don't think it minimizes the tragedy in any way to point out the miraculous times when someone survived against all odds.

Mommyg8, I am also very happy that your husband was late for work. May you enjoy many many happy and healthy years together, with plenty of nachas and parnasa!

amother

Olive

Sun, Sep 16 2018, 9:05 pm

Mommyg8 wrote:

Was your husband employed in the Towers at that time?

Raisin

Mon, Sep 17 2018, 5:27 am

We hosted a shabbos guest once who not only miraculously survived the Sbarro bombing (he moved seats because people in the next table were arguing and went to another part of the restaurant) but also was supposed to be at a meeting at the WTC on sep 11. But they had just moved house and his wife asked him not to go.

I think it is a small miracle the attacks happened so early in the day and not a couple of hours later. The death toll could have been much much higher.

OTOH it is hard to see the HP in a story like Danny Lewin, who tried to stop the attacks but couldn't.

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/0......html

dankbar

Fri, Sep 21 2018, 11:46 am

look at the hasgucha prutis of all jewish people that got spared. theres an entire book of miracles. someone challenged me once why by holocaust 6 mill pple died & by mitzrayim we got saved.....I said why dont u focus on the 1 million that survived which was impossible under natural circumstances? why dint u c Gd there? each survivor had an angel next to him. as compared to mitzrayim only 1/5 of jewish pple merited redemption & we only talk about the nissim. it same ratio abt

Ruchel

Fri, Sep 21 2018, 12:14 pm

We'll never know. Let's be happy when possible, and not find reasons why one "got" to survive!

dankbar

Fri, Sep 21 2018, 12:32 pm

no survivors guilt. just to focus on the positives & count the nissim not the the casualties