We have Raban Gamliel sticking up for himself when a storm at sea almost drowned him for having been tough against Rabbi Eliezer. And we have Rabbi Eliezer going against all the Chachomim at great risk. We have the Chachomim putting a giant like Rabbi Eliezer in Cherem (excommunication) and burning all the ovens that he purified, since they held that they were Tamei. (Gemara).
And when the walls of the Bais Medrash started falling (in order to defend honor of Rabbi Eliezer) we have Rabbi Yehoshua yelling at the walls and “putting them in their place”! The water in the river stood up for Rabbi Eliezer by flowing backwards, and the Chachomim weren’t Nis'pael; and the water had to change its course. Rabbi Eliezer even got a carob tree to become uprooted 100 Amos (approx. 150-200 feet) away, and the Chachomim weren’t impressed at all!
And how did Hashem react to all this? He laughed and said: נִצְחוּנִי בָנַי My children have “beaten” Me! We see how Hashem wants an Adam to become great, and be like the Borei Olam (Creator of the world) to create a new Matzav. וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹקִים Tehillim 8:6 Man is “right under” Hashem! Many people become weak in Bitachon because they feel that the Hashgacha is that they should suffer. We see from Sara Imeinu differently.
A person has no idea how great he can become and defy Tevah. He can “rebel” against his difficult situation with the supernatural power of Bitachon!
