- Response to Yosef Simpson
- from Jewish Press Friday Dec. 11, 1998
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- Dear Editor,
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- One should not think that Moshe Rabbeinu had an inherent power to
perform miracles. Hashem was the One that did ALL of them. Look
through the posukim. When the Torah tells of the Plagues, the
Splitting of the Red Sea and the manna it is always Hashem that does
the miracle. By the story of Korach, Moshe states, "But if Hashem
will create a phenomena(Bamidbar 16; 30)" not "I will create
a phenomena". Throughout the Prophets miracles are attributed to
Hashem. When Eliyahu restored the child to life we see that first he
prayed to Hashem. The posuk then says, "Hashem hearkened to the
voice of Eliyahu and the soul of the boy came back within him, and he
came to life (I Kings 17; 22)." Elisha, as well, prayed to Hashem
to restore a child to life. No man has the ability to perform miracles
through his own power. When Rachal Emeinu asked Yaakov Aveinu for
children he replied angrily, "Am I instead of Hashem?" He
did not have the power to grant her children. If he could perform
miracles, why didn't he grant her wish? Onkelos comments, "From
me you request? Is it not from before Hashem that you should make your
request?" Only Hashem has the power to grant such requests. If a
person desires something, they should pray to Hashem. Prayer is the
recognition that Hashem is the Source of everything.
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- It has become necessary to clarify a fundamental principle regarding
the method of understanding Midrashim. They were not written down by
Chazal to be understood literally. The Rambam writes in the
Introduction to the Mishna, "If you will inspect the Aggadic
Drashos and construe them following their immediately apparent
meanings, you will see ideas expressed which are at the height of
absurdity. The sages purposely expressed them in such a disguised form
due to weighty considerations." In the Introduction to the Moreh
Nevuchim he says that absurd Midrashim must be taken figuratively. The
Rashba in his Commentary on Aggadot says that Midrashim contain deep
and hidden ideas and should not be taken on face value. Rabbi Moshe
Chaim Luzzato wrote an entire essay explaining that Midrashim were not
meant to be taken literally. We must not be arrogant and assume we
understand every Midrash. To understand the statements "A Tzaddik
commands and the Almighty fulfills" and "The Almighty
decrees and a Tzaddik annuls" literally, is ludicrous. Man cannot
control Hashem.. A Tzaddik or anyone else does not have some kind of
power to annul a decree of Hashem. If this were so, Moshe would have
annulled the decree of not being able to enter the Land of Israel.
Hashem could not have said no. It should be obvious that there are
deeper ideas contained in these words.
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- It seems that the true purpose of Mezuzah has been overlooked. The
Tur in the beginning of YD 285 states, "when a person goes in and
out [of his house] he will remember the Unity of Hashem and that will
put fear into him so that he will not sin." A person must think
about the profound ideas contained in the Mezuzah to derive the true
benefit. That benefit is a deep appreciation of truth and a
recognition of our lowliness in relation to Hashem's Awesomeness.
These ideas will lead us on the correct path. This is the underlying
idea of the various Chazal that discuss Mezuzah as a protection. It is
the same idea that the Rambam discusses at the end of Hilchos Mezuzah.
The Tur continues, "the house is guarded through it (the Mezuzah)
as they (Chazal) explained the posuk, 'Hashem watches you etc..'"
Is it the Mezuzah that watches us or is it Hashem? Obviously, the Tur
is stating that it is Hashem. If we do the Mitzvot and observe the
Torah properly, Hashem will watch over us. If the Mezuzah was indeed
some kind of physical protection, how could have millions of Torah
observant Jews been murdered in their homes throughout the ages. Why
didn't it protect them? Great Torah giants were killed. Did they all
have posul Mezuzahs? Even if they had, they were most likely unaware
of it. Should they then be killed because of an unwitting error?
Furthermore, why would Hashem give it protective power to begin with?
Could not Hashem protect us without the help of a Mezuzah? If one
maintains that Hashem needs the help of a Mezuzah, he is denying
Hashem's Omnipotence.
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- May we all search for the true ideas of Torah and not be mislead by
false notions.
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- Avraham Shimon
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