Hidden and Revealed Miracles · 2021. 2. 17. · observer it has been created presently, is not a...
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TORAT MIZRACHI Rabbi Hershel Schachter T he Mishnah in Avot (5:6) enu- merates 10 things that were created on erev Shabbat at bein haShmashot (twilight), including the mouth of the earth that engulfed Korach, the mouth of the well that pro- vided water in the Midbar, the mouth of the donkey that spoke to Bilaam, the man, and the staff with which Moshe performed the signs in Mitzrayim. All of nature had been created on the previous six days, but these future mir- acles, exceptions to G-d’s natural order, were provided for on erev Shabbat at bein haShmashot. Thus, the Rambam explains, it is not the case, as it may appear to an onlooker, that G-d altered the laws of nature at the time those miracles occurred. Instead, the ratzon Hashem that these innovations occur in the future was present at the time of Creation itself (see Rambam, Shemoneh Perakim, 8; Peirush HaMishnayot, Avot 5:6). The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 21:6) expounds on a pasuk describing kriyat Yam Suf along the same lines. The pasuk describes, ֹ נוָ יתֵ אְ ר לֶ קּ ֹ ת בֹ נוְ פִ ם לּ ָ יַ ב הׁ ָ שּ ָ יַ ו– “and the water went back to its power toward morning” (Shemot 14:27), and the Midrash relates the word ֹ נוָ יתֵ אְ לto ֹ אוָ נְ תִ ל(to its stipulation). This indi- cates that the original creation of the Yam Suf was conditional, dependent upon its splitting for the Jewish people when they left Mitzrayim. Thus, G-d implanted the Yam Suf’s future trans- formation into its very nature. This was the case with the creation of all of the nissim geluyim (revealed miracles) that would occur throughout history as well (Bereishit Rabbah 5:5). Nissim nistarim (hidden miracles), however, are of a completely different nature. The Rambam (Moreh Nevu- chim 3:17) explains that although G-d does not adjust the laws of nature He established during Creation, He does, at times, exercise hashgacha pratit to suspend man’s free will. In other words, free will is the only aspect of world events not governed by the laws of nature. The Rambam presents a mashal of a ship that capsizes at sea. G-d desires that this accident should occur and therefore He may suspend the ship manufacturer’s free will, so the ship is less sturdy than usual. Furthermore, G-d may see to it that a rasha decides to travel on the ship, even though he is unaccustomed to doing so, and that a tzaddik avoids traveling on the ship. G-d similarly adjusts the choices that people make in order to arrange for nissim nistarim. It emerges from this explanation that a nes nigleh, though it appears to the observer it has been created presently, is not a new miracle. It is, in fact, the nes of Creation, and it occurs only because it was so stipulated well in advance. On the other hand, a nes nistar is not the nes of Creation. It is a present-day nes that G-d orchestrates through hashga- cha pratit, by suspending free will to achieve a given result. Some explain (see Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, LeTorah UlaMoadim, Purim 1) that this is why we drink wine on Purim to a greater extent than on other Yamim Tovim, to the point of עַ דָ א יָ לְ ּ ד דַ ע– “until one does not know [the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai]” (Megillah 7b). Contrary to the common impression that a nes nigleh is of a higher caliber, a nes nistar such as the nes Purim deserves greater celebration. After all, it was a nes that G-d performed at the time of Morde- chai and Esther, not an ancient nes that is really part of the nes of the Creation itself. Adapted from Rav Schachter on the Parsha II. Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau mizrachi.org/speakers Hidden and Revealed Miracles 14 |
Transcript of Hidden and Revealed Miracles · 2021. 2. 17. · observer it has been created presently, is not a...
TORAT MIZRACHI
Rabbi Hershel Schachter
The Mishnah in Avot (5:6) enu-merates 10 things that were created on erev Shabbat at
bein haShmashot (twilight), including the mouth of the earth that engulfed Korach, the mouth of the well that pro-vided water in the Midbar, the mouth of the donkey that spoke to Bilaam, the man, and the staff with which Moshe performed the signs in Mitzrayim.
All of nature had been created on the previous six days, but these future mir-acles, exceptions to G-d’s natural order, were provided for on erev Shabbat at bein haShmashot. Thus, the Rambam explains, it is not the case, as it may appear to an onlooker, that G-d altered the laws of nature at the time those miracles occurred. Instead, the ratzon Hashem that these innovations occur in the future was present at the time of Creation itself (see Rambam, Shemoneh Perakim, 8; Peirush HaMishnayot, Avot 5:6).
The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 21:6) expounds on a pasuk describing kriyat Yam Suf along the same lines. The pasuk describes, קר לאיתנו ב הים לפנות ב ש וי– “and the water went back to its power toward morning” (Shemot 14:27), and the Midrash relates the word לאיתנו to לתנאו (to its stipulation). This indi-cates that the original creation of the Yam Suf was conditional, dependent
upon its splitting for the Jewish people when they left Mitzrayim. Thus, G-d implanted the Yam Suf ’s future trans-formation into its very nature. This was the case with the creation of all of the nissim geluyim (revealed miracles) that would occur throughout history as well (Bereishit Rabbah 5:5).
Nissim nistarim (hidden miracles), however, are of a completely different nature. The Rambam (Moreh Nevu-chim 3:17) explains that although G-d does not adjust the laws of nature He established during Creation, He does, at times, exercise hashgacha pratit to suspend man’s free will. In other words, free will is the only aspect of world events not governed by the laws of nature.
The Rambam presents a mashal of a ship that capsizes at sea. G-d desires that this accident should occur and therefore He may suspend the ship manufacturer’s free will, so the ship is less sturdy than usual. Furthermore, G-d may see to it that a rasha decides to travel on the ship, even though he is unaccustomed to doing so, and that a tzaddik avoids traveling on the ship. G-d similarly adjusts the choices that people make in order to arrange for nissim nistarim.
It emerges from this explanation that a nes nigleh, though it appears to the
observer it has been created presently, is not a new miracle. It is, in fact, the nes of Creation, and it occurs only because it was so stipulated well in advance. On the other hand, a nes nistar is not the nes of Creation. It is a present-day nes that G-d orchestrates through hashga-cha pratit, by suspending free will to achieve a given result.
Some explain (see Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, LeTorah UlaMoadim, Purim 1) that this is why we drink wine on Purim to a greater extent than on other Yamim Tovim, to the point of לא ידע until“ – עד דone does not know [the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai]” (Megillah 7b). Contrary to the common impression that a nes nigleh is of a higher caliber, a nes nistar such as the nes Purim deserves greater celebration. After all, it was a nes that G-d performed at the time of Morde-chai and Esther, not an ancient nes that is really part of the nes of the Creation itself. Adapted from Rav Schachter on the Parsha II.
Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.
A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureaumizrachi.org/speakers
Hidden and Revealed Miracles
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