Hashgochah Pratis in Sifrei Kodesh
Hashgachahh Pratis in the Sefarim Hakedoshim
Excerpts from the popular shiur by Harav Yehuda Mandel shlit”a from Lakewood
Miriam Hanevia’s Power
“And Miriam died there.... And there was no water for the congregation.” From this passuk we learn that in the zechus of Miriam, Am Yisrael had water to drink throughout the forty years of their wandering in the desert. What a huge zechus! Millions of men, women and children quenched their thirst every day with pure, sweet water, all in her zechus.
Miriam’s name hints to her beginnings. She was born during a bitter period, at the very start of the slavery and persecution in Mitzrayim. Indeed, her early days were filled with bitterness. She had additional names: Azuvah, Yeriah, Chel’a – names that reflected the difficult situation: illness, her face pale as a yeriah; abandoned; forgotten by all.
Her situation was too difficult to bear: bitter, sickly, pale, and abandoned. But Miriam did not break. She trusted in Hashem and overcame all the difficulties. In the end, her names were changed: She was named Ne’ara and Tzara. Her face shone like the sun at midday, her friends were jealous of her beauty, and she was healed from her illnesses.
Moreover, in her zechus, the waters of Be’er Miriam flowed; this was the source of water that quenched Am Yisrael’s thirst in the desert. She was also the one who led the women in singing Shiras Hayam.
How much chizuk we can draw from this! There are people who are going through complex difficulties, suffering from bitterness or sadness, distanced from society, ill, and unsuccessful. From Miriam’s story we can draw endless bitachon to strengthen ourselves and rise above every situation, and in the end, to emerge from all our problems and, in addition to all this, to help others as well!
Tzedakah or a Loss
On Rosh Hashanah, Hashem determines the amount of sustenance a person will receive during the coming year. Just as the amount a person will gain is determined on Rosh Hashanah, his losses are likewise determined on Rosh Hashanah. If he is zocheh and has good mazal, he will give poor people the money he is meant to lose, but if he does not have the zechus, the money he is to lose will be taken by Gentiles who are poor in mitzvos and who rebel against Hashem; moreover, he will have to bring them into his home and give to them against his will....
(based on Maseches Bava Basra 10a)
