By Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, Dean, Ani Maamin Foundation
What is expected of us when we see open miracles? Let’s learn from our ancestors.
When Moshe Rabbeinu first came to the people, the Torah states, “The nation believed, and they understood that Hashem had remembered His people and seen their affliction.” Durning the year following Moshe’s arrival, all the ten Makkos took place, until Klal Yisrael left Egypt on the morning after Makkas Bechoros. The Egyptians pursued them into the Red Sea and were drowned. When the Yam Suf spat out their bodies, the Torah says, “Yisrael saw...and they believed in Hashem, and in Moshe His servant.” But didn’t they already believe, over a year earlier, when Moshe first came? Why does the Torah sum up the story of the Yam Suf by telling us that now they had emunah?
This classic question has various answers, but here is an important one: there is no limit to the depth of emunah that one can have. Yes, the Jews were indeed maaminim a year earlier, but there was no comparison to the height of their emunah after the Yam Suf. The vayaamin of last year could in no way compare to the vayaaminu of this year.
In these weeks since war has broken out, we have been witness to phenomena that can be defined as nothing other than miracles from Hashem. Besides a deep sense of gratitude to Hashem for His kindness, and an inspiration to improve our deeds, we need to increase our level of emunah. Upon hearing good news, we cannot move on, returning to everyday life as normal. We must remind ourselves again and again that there is a Ribono shel Olam Who is running the world.
It is said that when Rav Shlomo Wolbe came to visit the holy mashgiach, Rav Chatzkel, the mashgiach grabbed his sleeve and asked him if he “knows that there is a Borei Olam! Go back and tell your talmidim that there is a Borei Olam.” Of course they already knew that. But the mashgiach wanted them to contemplate it, to the point that the clarity of their conviction would be all the greater.
This is what we should be doing now. Look upward towards Heaven, realizing that in every step of the way, the Ribono shel Olam is demonstrating His hashgacha toward us. Live with the constant awareness of His presence, shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid.
