An Obstacle to Miracles
The pages of the Tanach are filled with stories that make the most exciting soap opera look like an unedited student documentary. There’s drama and thrills and emotion and adventure and characters you will grow to hate and love and fear and admire all at the same time. On the surface it can seem positively psychedelic, but through the lens of the commentators, profundities are revealed that will make your jaw drop.
As a faithful prophet of Israel, Elisha was reporting the troop movements of the invading Arameans to the Jewish armies. The increasingly frustrated Aramean king accused his officers of betraying their country, but they protested that they weren’t traitors, it was the work of the all-seeing Jewish prophet. The king sent horses and chariots to seize Elisha, and they soon surrounded the town he was in.
Elisha had an attendant who cried out in alarm to his master when he saw them coming: “What shall we do?” Elisha reassured him with the cryptic statement, “Those on our side are more than on theirs.” Then he prayed to G-d to open the lad’s eyes, and all of a sudden – Plot Twist! – the hills are revealed to be full of chariots and horses of fire. The scene is set for a gripping showdown between the Enemies of the Chosen People™ and the flaming might of Heaven. You won’t believe what happens next! Elisha prays to G-d for the Arameans to be struck with blindness, which duly occurs, and he then leads them away to be captured. Tune in next week to see how they are treated in Samaria.
Um… If this were a popular fantasy TV series (l’havdil elef havdalos), it would be a sign that the directors had overbudgeted for special effects and now had to put in as much gratuitous CGI as possible, whether it advanced the plot or not. Why did Elisha need to reveal fiery miraculous chariots if they played no part in their rescue?
The Radak comments that the point of the first miracle was to strengthen the heart of Elisha’s attendant so he wouldn’t be afraid. They were surrounded on all sides with no way out, and his faith in Divine salvation weakened. By showing him a vision of heavenly might Elisha restored it in a concrete way. The question remains, though, why did he need to encourage his attendant if a different miracle was moments away from saving them?
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz writes that this episode shows us that fear is a genuine obstacle to miracles, not only for the one afraid but also for those with him. People think that miracles happen only to those who deserve them, but before that can happen they have to expect them to come. The attendant’s fear showed that he did not believe that they would be saved, and with such an attitude they couldn’t be. Relighting the flame of his faith and removing his fear was therefore an essential prerequisite in order for Hashem to send them a miracle.
There is a further application of this principle in times of war, when a Kohein was specially appointed to send away from battle those who were scared (among others). Not only does a lack of emunah compromise your connection to Hashem, it manifests as a danger to those around you too.
We should be especially sensitive to opportunities to reassure, comfort or inspire those who are close to us. When they are receptive to good news, appreciative of the good around them, and looking forward to good things in the future, they will bring down blessings and divine protection not only for themselves, but indeed for all those who share their world.
As a faithful prophet of Israel, Elisha was reporting the troop movements of the invading Arameans to the Jewish armies. The increasingly frustrated Aramean king accused his officers of betraying their country, but they protested that they weren’t traitors, it was the work of the all-seeing Jewish prophet. The king sent horses and chariots to seize Elisha, and they soon surrounded the town he was in.
Elisha had an attendant who cried out in alarm to his master when he saw them coming: “What shall we do?” Elisha reassured him with the cryptic statement, “Those on our side are more than on theirs.” Then he prayed to G-d to open the lad’s eyes, and all of a sudden – Plot Twist! – the hills are revealed to be full of chariots and horses of fire. The scene is set for a gripping showdown between the Enemies of the Chosen People™ and the flaming might of Heaven. You won’t believe what happens next! Elisha prays to G-d for the Arameans to be struck with blindness, which duly occurs, and he then leads them away to be captured. Tune in next week to see how they are treated in Samaria.
Um… If this were a popular fantasy TV series (l’havdil elef havdalos), it would be a sign that the directors had overbudgeted for special effects and now had to put in as much gratuitous CGI as possible, whether it advanced the plot or not. Why did Elisha need to reveal fiery miraculous chariots if they played no part in their rescue?
The Radak comments that the point of the first miracle was to strengthen the heart of Elisha’s attendant so he wouldn’t be afraid. They were surrounded on all sides with no way out, and his faith in Divine salvation weakened. By showing him a vision of heavenly might Elisha restored it in a concrete way. The question remains, though, why did he need to encourage his attendant if a different miracle was moments away from saving them?
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz writes that this episode shows us that fear is a genuine obstacle to miracles, not only for the one afraid but also for those with him. People think that miracles happen only to those who deserve them, but before that can happen they have to expect them to come. The attendant’s fear showed that he did not believe that they would be saved, and with such an attitude they couldn’t be. Relighting the flame of his faith and removing his fear was therefore an essential prerequisite in order for Hashem to send them a miracle.
There is a further application of this principle in times of war, when a Kohein was specially appointed to send away from battle those who were scared (among others). Not only does a lack of emunah compromise your connection to Hashem, it manifests as a danger to those around you too.
We should be especially sensitive to opportunities to reassure, comfort or inspire those who are close to us. When they are receptive to good news, appreciative of the good around them, and looking forward to good things in the future, they will bring down blessings and divine protection not only for themselves, but indeed for all those who share their world.
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