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A Yissachar / Zebulun Partnership in Loving Memory of Yishak ben Simcha A"H & Felicia bat Miriam A"H
Rabbi David Ashear

Torah Lecture

Emuna Daily Lesson 226

Lectured by Rabbi David Ashear

Published
June 3, 2013
Duration
03:55
Lecture code
RDA-EDL226

This transcript was auto-generated and polished for readability. While we aim for accuracy, errors may occur. If you notice a mistake, please click to submit corrections.

Welcome to the Daily Chizuk (encouragement). Rabbi Yisrael Salanter was once at the home of an assimilated Jew in Vienna. During the conversation, the man's daughter came and asked the rabbi, “If there's a God in the world, why doesn't He prove Himself and make miracles for us?” The rabbi avoided the question.

Sometime later, the man started to talk about what an accomplished pianist his daughter was, how she had won so many awards, and how she had performed in so many symphonies. The rabbi said, “Really? I don't believe she's that good. If she's so great, let her play for me right now and prove it.” The girl said, “What? I don't have to prove myself to you, Rabbi. I have certificates, plaques, awards, diplomas. I'm world famous.” The rabbi said back, “You're right. You already proved yourself. And Hashem also proved Himself to the whole world. When He took us out of Mitzrayim and did the Ten Makot (Ten Plagues), He split the Yam Suf. He doesn't have to prove Himself again to every skeptic.”

The Ramban writes this explicitly. At the end of the day, he said, He says, Hashem doesn't do miracles for everyone who doubts Him. Hashem took center stage in Mitzrayim, and He showed us His complete authority over every aspect of creation. Then He commanded us, at the beginning of this week's parasha, to pass on the message from generation to generation. The pasuk (verse) says, the pasuk says, the pasuk says, “Gets more emunah (faith) than the one who hears them.” That's why it says, “We should constantly be talking about Hashem's wonders.”

Our whole source of emunah in Hashem comes from Yetziat Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt). The first of the Ten Commandments is not “Who created the world,” but “Hashem who took us out of Mitzrayim.” Because that's where we see that Hashem is actively involved with our lives. Hashem shows us that we are not just a group of people. Hashem shows us in Mitzrayim that man is powerless. We never have to worry about people taking things or trying to get things from us, or trying to do things against us. The divine decree always prevails. What Hashem wants is what's going to happen, and no one could stop Him.

The Steipler points out, the Gemara says that Paro was so scared that when he decreed all the babies should be thrown into the sea, he included the babies of his own nation. But what ended up happening? Not only did Moshe not die, but Paro's own daughter saved him, and Paro himself raised the boy in his own palace. Paro's decree allowed Moshe to be exempt from the slavery and grow up with royalty. The decree that tried to prevent the Savior is what produced the Savior. This was the biggest mockery of Paro. Hashem is in charge. Hashem is running the show. He proved Himself in Mitzrayim. And then millions of people heard His voice on Har Sinai.

Hashem is here. Hashem is involved. And Hashem wants us to feel His presence and recognize that He's with us. He wants us to talk to Him. He wants us to ask Him for help. And the more we talk about Hashem, and tell people even about His hidden wonders that we see all the time, the more emunah it will give us. Shabbat Shalom.