If G-d
would show me a miracle – I would believe
People are
often heard saying, “If I were to witness a miracle like the splitting of
the sea, of course I would believe in HASHEM”. And, while on one level, this
seems to make sense, a major question on this theory is: How is it that the
Mitzrim, living in Mitzraim during the Maakos, didn’t come to believe in
HASHEM.
How could
the Mitzrim not believe?
The Ramban
explains that HASHEM could have taken the Jewish nation out in any manner
which He so chose. The reason it was done with 10 Maakos, lasting many
months, was so that it would be clear for all to see that HASHEM is present
in this world. This was to be the one time in history that HASHEM would
show his dominion over nature, so that all future generations should be able
to point back at this moment, as a basis for their belief. This was a
demonstration to show the Jews as well as the Mitzrim living then- that
HASHEM runs the world.
Yet, till the
bitter end, almost every Egyptian denied that they were witnessing the hand
of G-d. They lived through it all, and didn’t reach the most compelling and
obvious conclusion. The question that begs being asked is: How could
intelligent, reasonable people see such clear manifestations of HASHEM ’s
hand, and not believe?
The
Mitzrim followed the Jews right into the Yaam
What makes this question more difficult is
that the Ramban further explains that HASHEM split the Yam Suuf with an
eastern wind, so that the Mitzrim could think it wasn’t a miracle -- rather
it just happened. The Ramban explains that “even though the wind doesn’t
split the sea into channels … they didn’t pay attention to this”.
Meaning, after months of seeing HASHEM’s
power and might, they saw this remarkable phenomenon of the sea itself being
split in front of their enemy. But not just being split, being split into 12
dry channels, perfectly paved, smooth and prepared for travel, something
that can’t just happen by the normal forces of nature. Yet they still didn’t
believe in HASHEM. They said it was the wind that did it. And then, at the
risk of their lives, followed the Klal Yisroel, right into the channels dug
out of the sea!
The question is how could intelligent,
thinking human beings possibly do something so foolish?
How can
the Torah command us to believe?
The answer to this question is based on a
concept that Reb Elchonon Wasserman teaches us. He asks: How can there be a
Mitzvah to believe in HASHEM? Either a person believes in HASHEM or he
doesn’t. If a person believes in HASHEM, then he doesn’t need a mitzvah. If
he doesn’t believe in HASHEM, a commandment to believe won’t help- he just
doesn’t believe.
Reb Elchonon answers that the actual mitzvah
is not to believe- but to be honest. To put away your agenda and self
interests, and ask yourself what do you see.
When a person
looks at a world that is so vast, so diverse, and yet so harmonious in all
of its complexity, he sees order, plan and purpose. From the 100’s upon
100’s of billions of stars all moving in controlled orbits, down to the
subatomic level, all components meshing in mind numbing symmetry—the world
itself screams out: There is a creator and master to this world.
Yet we find,
rational, intelligent people saying things like, “ It just happened’, by
chance’ just a lucky roll of the cosmic dice, and we are here”
Understanding the Mitzvah of Emunah
Reb Elchonon explains that the Mitzvah of
Emunah is based on one critical question: What do my eyes see? Not
what do I want to see? Not how do I wish things to appear.
But, what do the cold, hard facts prove?
As part of the Master Plan for creation,
HASHEM gave us free will -- Free will to chose between right and wrong,
between good and evil, and even whether to accept the existence of our
Creator. To allow for this, HASHEM created us with this ability to believe
what we want, irrespective of logic or truth. If a
person wishes to be truthful, then HASHEM is there as clear as day.
However, if a person doesn’t want to believe, you can show them irrefutable
evidence, and they just won’t accept it.
What the Mitzrim were doing was exercising
this power that HASHEM gave them -- the ability to believe or not to
believe. As a result the greatest miracles ever shown to man didn’t move
them. Nothing changed their reality- they were able to look at them and
deny HASHEM’s very existence.
That is something that we saw long ago in
Mitzraim and something that we witness on a daily basis. The Rishonim tell
us that the most assured way to come to Emunah is study the physical world –
“the house cries out there is a builder”. Yet so many
educated, articulate people deny the very existence of HASHEM while staring
into the very wonders of creation. This itself is part of the wonder of
HASHEM’s creation, and part of plan to give man free will to choose his
destiny, and to choose who he will be for eternity.
For
more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #28 Pesach – People Believe What
They Want to Believe
