It’s a question that’s plagued humanity for ages, and it’s something the ancient rabbis wrestled with too. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, dives deep into this very issue.

It starts with a reminder from King Solomon: "He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23). And similarly, Ecclesiastes 5:4 warns us: "Do not be hasty with your mouth." Words have power, a power to protect or to destroy. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, questions arise…

The prophets, according to the Midrash, challenged God Himself! They asked, "Why do You do good to the heathen nations in this world?" A bold question, right? God's response, citing Deuteronomy 7:10, was simply, "Because I wrote, 'And repays those who hate Him.'" It seems God is bound by his own promises, even when they seem unfair.

But the questioning didn't stop there. Isaiah 45:9 states, "Woe to him who argues with his Maker, as a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth!" And then comes Habakkuk.

Now, Habakkuk took a rather… unique approach. According to this passage in Midrash Tehillim, he fashioned a figurine of bread! Yes, bread! He then declared, "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts" (Habakkuk 2:1). What rampart? The Midrash explains that God Himself is looking, searching for those who break their pledge to come to Him.

Habakkuk, frustrated, cries out (Psalms 13:2), "How long, O Lord, will You forget me forever?" God's answer is fascinating. He reminds Habakkuk that he is "a son of Torah and not a son of the earth," implying a deeper understanding is required. God says, in essence, "Study and understand." It’s written in one tablet, Aleph Bet (the Hebrew alphabet), and then you shall say, "Inform me of the end." In other words, learn the foundations, then seek the ultimate answers.

God continues, referencing Habakkuk 2:2: "And the Lord answered me, 'Write the vision down, inscribe it clearly on the tablets.'" God assures him that even the prophecy of the Babylonian exile, seemingly endless at the time, had a set end. "Even now, when the end comes, I will redeem you." This promise is echoed in Isaiah 34:8: "For it is a day of vengeance for the Lord and a year of recompense for the vindication of Zion."

Overwhelmed, Habakkuk falls on his face, pleading, "Master of the Universe, do not judge me willfully but rather ignorantly," (Habakkuk 3:1) a prayer "upon his shigionoth," perhaps meaning errors or unintentional sins. He acknowledges his own limitations in understanding God's ways.

The Midrash then draws a parallel to David, specifically Psalm 57:1: "Meditation for David. When he was being pursued by Saul." We’re reminded of the story in Samuel where Abishai urges David to strike down Saul, but David refuses. The people warn him, "You shall not go out, for if you go out, it will be a snare for you" (Samuel II 18:3).

What’s the common thread? Even the greatest figures – prophets, kings – struggle with understanding God's plan. They question, they plead, they even make bread figurines! But ultimately, they recognize the importance of faith, of trusting in a wisdom beyond their own. The key seems to be humility, acknowledging our limited perspective, and continuing to learn and grow, even when the answers are elusive.

So, the next time you find yourself questioning the fairness of the world, remember Habakkuk's bread figurine and David's flight from Saul. Remember that even the most righteous among us grapple with doubt. And perhaps, the most important thing we can do is to keep asking, keep learning, and keep trusting, even when we don’t understand.