Question:
When I hear about tragic news, for example when I heard about a four-year-old child who was killed, or a child who drowned (and there are unfortunately many such stories each year, may G-d save us from this), I become depressed for many days. I keep remembering these tragic stories, until the next tragedy comes, and then I keep thinking about the new tragedy…What is the perspective I need to have, whenever I hear or read about tragedies? How can I come out of the trauma that I get from bad news which I heard or read about?Answer:
(1) [You need to have] emunah, faith in G-d.
(2) Think about the spiritual suffering that there is today, which is far worse, considering the great spiritual destruction that is taking place in our generation.
(3) Think about what you can generally to act kindlier towards others.
(4) Connect to the inner good that is within you.
(5) Immerse yourself in a world of inner thought.
(6) Be happy about the fact that you are able to feel others’ pain.
(7) Accept the suffering that you feel, with love.
(8) Reflect and conclude that part of the makeup of Creation is that it entails “evil” [anything we perceive as not being good], and that the result of this is all of the suffering in Creation.
(9) Connect to a holy kind of joy – in action, and in emotion.
(10) In general, it is worthwhile to be aware that it’s better for a person when he doesn’t know that much about any news that happens in the world. This is how the Chofetz Chaim conducted himself. Therefore, one should avoid reading the newspapers and etc. (This is besides for other reasons why a person shouldn’t read the newspapers, but let this reason suffice).
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