Chazkele wants the truth about God.

"A modern Polish Rabbi..."

Even in cheder, Chazkele began to ask questions about God. If God is merciful, why do small children die? If he loves Jews, why do the Gentiles beat them? If He is the Father of all creatures, why does he allow the cat to kill the mouse? Our teacher, Fishele, was the first to predict that Chazkele would grow up a nonbeliever. Later, when Chazkele began to study in the study house house, he plagued the principal of our yeshiva, Reb Ephraim Gabriel, with his queries. He found all kinds of contradictions in the Bible and in the Talmud. For example, in one place it is written that God cannot be seen and in another that the elders ate and drank and saw him. Here it is said that the Lord doesn't punish the children for the sins of their fathers and elsewhere that He takes revenge on the third and fourth generations. Reb Ephraim Gabriel tried to explain these things as well as he could, but Chazkele would not be put off so easily. The enlightened ones in Malopol were pleased with Chazkele's heresies, but even they advised him not to overdo it if he didn't want to be persecuted by the fanatics. But Chazkele would answer, " I don't give a damn. I want the truth."

From "The Blasphemer" by Isaac Bashevis Singer.

 This illustration by Maurice Sendak was once proposed for a childrens' book by Singer but was not used because it was considered "too scary".