Q:
The Rav mentioned that Chazal say that sometimes a child will die because of something the parent did wrong (Shabbos 32b). Can you elaborate on that?
A:
Sometimes a child is born with only a limited number of years. He was born to live only so many years and it has nothing to do with any sin of the parents. Why did Hashem give these parents such a child? That’s His business. It’s a test.
But sometimes it’s because of the parent’s sin that the child passed away.
Now we don’t know but Hakadosh Baruch Hu knows. And therefore everybody who has children should think, “For the sake of my children I’m going to obey Hakadosh Baruch Hu implicitly so I should never have the guilt upon my neshamah of my childrens’ lives.”
It’s so important for parents to be solicitous about the wellbeing of their children. They should guard their safety always. Not to let them run across the street. Everything should be done for the preservation of their health. But in addition the parents should try to live a life as perfect as possible so that never should they be blamed for what happens.
TAPE # E-129 (January 1999)
