The unknown Chavakuk (Habakuk)

B"H

Be honest. Are you at all making an effort studying the minor prophets such as Ovadiah, Micha, Malachi, Zephaniah, Nachum, Amoz, Yoel or Chavakuk (Habakuk) ? Today the studies of Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), Yeshayahu (Jesaja) or Yechezkel (Jezekiel) are extremely popular but the minor prophets seem to be neglected. Unfortunately, people don't realize how important the minor prophets are and how much we can learn from them.

For instance, the Prophet Chavakuk is challenging G – d in a very unique way. He brings up the question why good people have to suffer and bad people obviously seem to prosper. Where is the fairness ?

Chavakuk actually dares to ask what all of us would like to know but are afraid to confront G – d with such questions. "We don't ask such questions but simply accept everything".
As if it was too embarrassing to ask G – d and accuse Him. Shouldn't we rather believe in Him and His actions instead of questioning Him (among others the Talmud commentator Maharsha).

According to the ZOHAR, Chavakuk was the son of the Shunamite woman who provided shelter for Elisha. Elisha was so grateful that he resurrected her dead son while he laid down on him. He put his hand on the son's hand, he put his legs on the son's legs, etc. The "Zohar" identifies Chavakuk - חבקוק with the resurrected son. And if we have a look at the roots of the Hebrew letters, we notice the words "Chibek - חיבק" or "Chibuk - חיבוק" which mean "to hug" or "hug". The particular hug, Elisha gave Chavakuk.

Chavakuk lived at the time of the evil King Menashe and prophesized about the Babylonians and Nevuchadnezzer. Commentators actually state that Chavakuk is questioning G –d why bad people are prospering ? Where is G – d to punish them ?

And ? Where is He ?
In the course of Jewish history, many nations with the desire to destroy the Jewish people, disappeared. Chavakuk would be the perfect book for Holocaust victims because they wanted or even did accuse G – d of letting them suffer. "Is such a tremendous suffering fair, G – d ?"

Let us have a look at reality. Don't we realize the punishment of bad people ? Whole nations and individuals.
Eventually Chavakuk draws the conclusion that a righteous person will live because he has a belief (see Chavakuk 2:4 and Talmud Makkot 24a). In the end, again, everything is about unlimited belief and Bitul. Honestly, what else can we really do ? We can accuse G – d but won't receive any precise answer and can only hope that there will be better times in the future.

In 1948, the Jews got their own state and stood at the beach in Tel Aviv. Who would have dreamt about it only a few years earlier when Jews were massacred in Auschwitz, Majdanek, etc. ? Nobody because Europe's Judaism was almost finished. Everyone expected the worst but suddenly things began to change. This shows us that G – d does intervene, even when we think that all the things happening are so unfair.

Chavakuk is questioning G – d in a revolutionary way, as no one has ever done before and after. The question is if we are allowed to ask and challenge ?

But why shouldn't we ?