Page 40 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

Rabbi Ya'akov HaLevi Filber

DIVINE MIRACLES and

HUMAN EFFORT

elieving Jews combine their is dependent on the moral situation of Only after 40 years of Divine revelation,
efforts to promote and achieve the nation at the time, as our purpose after the nation had increased its faith
B their needs through human is to bring G-d’s light into the world. So in G-d, was the time ripe for human
activity (hishtadlut) and their reliance when the individual or the nation are leadership, activity and involvement in
on Divine protection (bitachon). Relying on a higher moral level, belief in G-d all areas of life, because the people had
on G-d is one of the characteristics and keeping mitzvot are the most natural already been trained in ‘knowing’ G-d,
typifying human completeness. There thing and so miracles are unnecessary, through constant nature as well, as it
are two types of such reliance: first, because we recognize G-d’s Hand in the says, “Raise your eyes on high and see
simple trust – a person expects a miracle natural happenings of the world. Who created these.” 2
to happen exactly when he needs it, and
second, constant security – to trust G-d This is a higher level of completeness, Therefore, when Bnei Yisrael first
to help us each and every day, as we when one can use one’s intellect and entered Eretz Yisrael and fought the
perform our human activities. physical and mental powers to the full, war at Ai, they were already well-versed
yet feel that G-d is with him every step in miracles. Now was the time to learn
Since the Exodus from Egypt, Divine of the way. That is when a Jew recognizes to be involved in their own successes,
Providence over the Jewish people that “Your miracles… are with us every because it was a greater completeness
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has not been uniform. During the day.” This recognition brings one closer for them as individuals and as a nation
40 years in the desert, Bnei Yisrael to completeness than a one-time miracle to be responsible for their own success,
survived on miracles, with almost no that occurred because of one’s lower while trusting in G-d. This was His Will,
human intervention. After they enter spiritual level. as He had commanded Bnei Yisrael to
Eretz Yisrael we see contradictory complete the mission on their own,
situations. Sometimes the people’s But human efforts do not always lead through hishtadlut in Torah and mitzvot.
efforts are praised, while at other times to these results, because we sometimes
their natural actions are considered a tend to get caught up in material But, during the times of the judges,
disadvantage. For example, in the war at concerns. Then, not only do we fail to the spiritual level of the nation had
Ai (Joshua, Chapter 8), just after they recognize G-d working through our own plummeted and they had forgotten
entered the Land, Israel was required efforts, but we run the risk of believing their G-d and Savior. They were not
to fight, to make the human effort, but the success we achieve is the result of able to recognize Him working through
according to G-d’s instructions. our own efforts, which then detach us nature. Hence Gideon was asked to limit
even more from acknowledging Divine
Later, during the war against Midian supervision. natural efforts and rely on clear Divine
(Judges, 7:2), Gideon is told: “The intervention.
people with you are too numerous for That is why when Bnei Yisrael left Egypt,
Me to give the Midianites into their they were at the 49th level of impurity, 1 From the Modim prayer in the Amidah.
hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against because they had yet to internalize faith 2 Isaiah 40:26.
Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved and needed to be brought closer to G-d
me’,” so the war had to be won through through miraculous events. They were
a miracle. not able to recognize a reality controlled
by Divine supervision and needed Rabbi Ya'akov HaLevi Filber was a close
When is hishtadlut necessary and when miracles to prove G-d’s presence in the student of Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, and
should it be limited? Our own hishtadlut world. the founder of the Yeshiva LaTze'irim

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