gmane.culture.religion.jewish.avodah

Re: Esther [was: Strengthening Our Belief in Hashem andHis Beautiful Torah]

2012-05-25T04:03:30


 
From: Micha Berger _micha< at >aishdas.org_ (mailto:micha< at >aishdas.org) 



by Rabbi Chaim Jachter

[snip]
Rav Yoel Bin Nun on Megillat  Esther

One may wonder why so many intelligent people are not convinced of  the
truth of Hashem and Torah. ...
Rav Yoel notes that the Megillat Esther  at first glance seems quite 
secular. For
example, it contains no mention of  God and even seems to deliberately
omit mentioning Hashem's name (see, for  example, Esther 4:14-16). Rav
Yoel explains that one has to look behind the  superficial presentation
of events in Megillat Esther to discover Hashem,  such as why Esther
among all the beautiful women of the Persian Empire was  chosen as queen,
why Mordechai foiled a plot to kill Achashveirosh, and why  Achashveirosh
was sleepless and reading about Mordechai's actions the night  that Haman
came to ask permission to execute Mordechai.

Similarly, the  world functions today as it is depicted in Megillat
Esther. Hashem has placed  a secular veneer upon the world and we must
use our common sense to peel back  this secular layer in order to be able
to find  Hashem.....<<

 
 
The series of coincidences in Meg. Esther do of course point to the  
existence of Hashem, orchestrating events "behind the lattice wall."  So  much is 
a truism.
 
 
I would like to add though that there is one place where belief in Hashem  
is so obviously alluded to that it is /almost/ overt:  when Esther asks all  
the Jews to fast for three days and adds that she herself and her maids 
will  also fast.  Other than a religious reason, there is no conceivable 
secular  reason for everyone, or anyone, to fast.
 

--Toby  Katz
=============
Romney -- good  values, good family, good  hair


-------------------------------------------------------------------  








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kedushat EY = Bet Shean

Eli Turkel — 2012-05-25T08:14:29

The Yerushalmi states that the rabbis purposely did not give kedushat EY to
Bet Shean so that the poor could eat there during shmitta (for terumot and
maaserot a machloket Rashi and Rambam). In fact Rav Yehuda haNasi had to
overrule others who didnt want to permit it.
It is a machloket among modern poskim (eg CI and Rav Frank) how far Bet
Shean exptends whether some 2000 amot beyond the ancient walls or includes
the entire bet shean valley)

In any case it is clear that Bet Shean was a nonJewish city during its
existence and in the days of Ezra and Nechemia there probably were no Jews
at all in the vicinity to worry about. Only in the days of the Maccabbes
did there start a local Jewish population.
from wikipedia

The Hellenistic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic> period saw the
reoccupation of the site of Beit She’an under the new name Scythopolis,
possibly named after the Scythian
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scythian> mercenaries
who settled there as veterans. Little is known about the Hellenistic city,
but during the 3rd century BCE a large temple was constructed on the Tell. It
is unknown which deity was worshipped there, but the temple continued to be
used during Roman times... From 301 to 198 BCE the area was under the
control of the Ptolemies <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemies>, and Beit
She'an is mentioned in 3rd-2nd centuries BC written sources describing the
Syrian Wars between the Ptolemid and Seleucid dynasties. In 198 BCE the
Seleucids <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucids> conquered the region.
The town played a role after the
Hasmonean<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean>Maccabee
Revolt: Josephus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus> records that the
Jewish High Priest Jonathan was killed there by Demetrius II
Nicator<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_II_Nicator>
. The city was destroyed by fire at the end of the 2nd century BCE.

Similarly Ashkelon was on the border of EY. Again from wikipedia

According to the Tanakh <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanakh>, Ashkelon is
one of the cities given to the Jewish people as a heritage. The
Jews<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews>
 of Judea <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judea> drove the Greeks out of the
region during the Maccabean Revolt <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccabees>,
which lasted from 167 to 160 BC. The Hasmonean
Kingdom<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean> was
then established, which Ashkelon thereafter became a part of.
So Ashkelon is Jewish only from the Chashmanoim revolt.

Another border city was Acco. Again from wikipedia

The city was captured by Alexander
Jannaeus<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Jannaeus>
, Cleopatra VII of Egypt <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_VII>
and Tigranes
II of Armenia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigranes_the_Great>. Here
Herod<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great> built
a gymnasium <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_(ancient_Greece)>, and
here the Jews met Petronius, sent to set up statues of the emperor in the
Temple <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple>, and persuaded him to turn
back. St Paul <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Paul> spent a day in
Ptolemais (Acts 21:7). A Roman
colonia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_(Roman)> was
established at the city, Colonia Claudii Cæsaris.[*citation
needed<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>
*]After the permanent division of the Roman
Empire<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire> in
395 AD, Akko was administered by the Eastern (later Byzantine) Empire.


In summary the EY of Ezra and Nechemia was limited to the environs of
Jerusalem and there would be no reason for them to give kedushat ha-aretz
until acco but not strips around it, to include up to Ahkelon and to
purposely leave out Bet Shean for the poor Jews in the neighborhood. These
were all events that occurred many years later mainly during the
Chashmanoim wars against the neighboring countries and the expansion of EY
especially under Yannai.

size of EY

Eli Turkel — 2012-05-25T08:21:47

see the very bottom of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean_dynasty

for the size of EY from Yehada HaMaccabe through Hyrcanus II. Note how
small it is in the early years

Re: Gishmaychem

Liron Kopinsky — 2012-05-25T05:17:34



On Thu, May 24, 2012 at 10:03 PM, Zev Sero <zev< at >sero.name> wrote:



It's hard to imagine that Israel could really produce enough food to
satiate all other countries today (providing food for Canaan is not the
same as providing for China), but maybe this prompts a new understanding of
what Gishmaychem means. With Israel increasingly seen as a world leader in
technology in general, as well as farming agriculture in drip-irrigation
etc. in particular, Gishmaychem could mean more literally *your* geshem, as
in the technology *you* develop will hit the market at the right time and
through that "all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Kol Tuv,
Liron
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Re: Source needed

Ezra Chwat — 2012-05-25T04:58:07

"Simon Montagu :AIUI the Shavu`ot ketubba originated among talmidei Ha'Ari in C16 Ts'fat, e.g. R. Yisra'el Najara, as part of (or connected to) the formalization of Tikkun Leil Shavu`ot."



It's a common habit of the post-Ari Tsfat Kabbalists, and their Hassidic successors, to manifest images and practice symbols which were previously limited to the literary plane. This is a good example.

The image of Matan Torah as the chuppa (first?) appears in the end of the Azhara (First day, Mahzor Frankel, 2000 p. 644 lines 8-11 (end). Even the image of the Torah as the "ketubat Hattan" appears there. See also, Midrash Psiqta DR'Kahana 19:4 the mashal of the Ketubbah, (though not in the context of Sinai). The tiqqun lel Shavuot (including the Tevila at its climax) is a manifestation of the image in Rashbi's "Tiqqun" (Zohar, intro 8a; in context of Shavuot: Zohar Emor 97b-88a) were the vigil is portrayed as process of preparing the kallah and escorting her to the chuppa Shavuot morning.


Dr. Ezra Chwat
Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts
blog: Giluy Milta B'Alma: http://imhm.blogspot.com




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Torah Pre-Sinai

Sholom Simon — 2012-05-24T23:37:00

Not all the major rishonim actually held that way (i.e., many held 
that the Avos did not follow the same halacha as Rashi.

See: http://www.tanach.org/breishit/toldot/toldots2.htm

Some even criticize that approach:

http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/sichot/bereishit/11-64vayigash.htm

Here's a 110 minute shiur on it (I have not yet heard it), which 
starts off by saying that pretty much only Rashi (of the rishonim) held that

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/720428/Rabbi%20Menachem%20Leibtag/What%20Mitzvot%20Did%20the%20Avot%20Keep%20and%20Why%20Does%20It%20Make%20a%20Difference

I see R Gil Student wrote, in 2004:

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Re: Torah Pre-Sinai

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T21:28:09

: They were at such a high level that they resonated to HKB"H's frequency.  (my summary of the Nefesh hachaim)

I think that's more the Baal haTanya's take in Torah Ohr (on parashas
Yisro, "Moshe Yedabeir).

It's a very stereotypical Litvish-Chassidish split.

The Litvak sees the revalation in the avos being able to feel their own
souls, detect that they lacked, and figure out how to resolve that lack.
It's all sheleimus. Aspaqlaria-as-mirror.

The chassid sees revelation in reaching out an pulling down from higher
spiritual realms. Deveiqus beyond the self. Aspaqlaria-as-lens.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

Re: When is exaggeration proper and improper?

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T21:37:44

: I don't read Areivim, nor did I attend the Asifa, but the context of
: this statement doesn't really matter too much. But it is a good opening
: to a question which has long bothered me. Namely: Do Chazal or Poskim
: discuss when guzma is appropriate, and when it is not?

I don't know. It might be situational, depending on obvious factors like
when is the audience likely to be moved by the emotional content, when
are they likely to pick up that it's guzma, and when will they think
it's meant literally and reject the message as absurd -- or accept an
absurd message.

But they clearly believed there was a role for guzma. Eg R Mari explains
R' Eliezer as speaking in guzma (Beitza 4a), and it's not meant pejoratively.
Or Eruvin 2b, BM 38a. Or the Tosafos at the top of Shabbos 119a.

Nevu'os are frequently labeled as guzma.

So, I too am curious where the lines are. But they exist, they
aren't zero. And they might simply not be discussed because they're
commonsensical.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

When is exaggeration proper and improper?

2012-05-24T19:41:30

I don't read Areivim, nor did I attend the Asifa, but the context of this statement doesn't really matter too much. But it is a good opening to a question which has long bothered me. Namely: Do Chazal or Poskim discuss when guzma is appropriate, and when it is not?

Are they at all worried about people who will take their words too seriously? For example, if a recognized gadol attempts to dramatize how awful a certain act is, he might say that it is Yehareg v'Al Yaavor. My fear is that there may be some people who will take that as a psak halacha -- after all, he said it, right? -- and might actually allow themselves to die rather than do that terrible thing. Alternatively, the person might succumb to temptation, and then suffer much worse guilt pangs than are actually appropriate.

I have always been something of a literalist, and when I hear people saying things which are clear exaggerations, they tend to lose credibility in my eyes. But as I have matured, I have come to understand that guzma CAN be a legitimate rhetorical device, not unlike poetry, where the speaker can expect the audience (or most of the audience) to interpret the speech properly.

Where is that line between truth and guzma? Once it gets blurred, to what extent can people be held responsible for their disbelief? If I am told, "The rabbi said that, but he did not really expect us to go that far," what will prevent me from applying it to *other* things that the rabbi said? And pretty soon, I might sincerely believe that Jewish "law" is not binding on all Jews, but only on the "target audience".

The sticking point, in my mind, is where to draw the line. I'd love to know whether -- and to what extent -- public speakers wrestle with this as they prepare their speeches.

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Re: Gishmaychem

Zev Sero — 2012-05-24T19:03:19

Go to Rashi's main source, Toras Cohanim:

Your rain, and not the rain of other countries.  So how can I maintain
"And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your
seed"?  That there will be satiety in Eretz Yisrael and famine in all
the other countries, and they will come and buy from you and enrich you
with money, in the same way as it is said "And Yosef collected all the
money that was to be found in Egypt and Cenaan through the food that they
bought", and so it says "and as your days shall be your excretion", that
all the countries shall excrete gold and bring it to Eretz Yisrael.

Re: What's special about shevet Shimon?

Zev Sero — 2012-05-24T18:49:27

What curse?

Re: Torah Pre-Sinai

Rich, Joel — 2012-05-24T18:51:28


I have never received a satisfactory answer to the following question:
We are taught that the Ovos amongst others observed Torah.
Obviously the sheva mitzvos b'nei Noach they observed but how did
they know about the chukim and korbonos, as well as tzitzis, mezuzah,
tefillin, etc. etc. etc.?
_______________________________________________
They were at such a high level that they resonated to HKB"H's frequency.  (my summary of the Nefesh hachaim)
If you want an 8 pg. pdf of a shiur on the topic, let me know
KT
Joel Rich
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Re: why???

Rich, Joel — 2012-05-24T19:08:57

On Sun, May 13, 2012 at 02:30:36PM -0700, Harvey Benton wrote:
: a. par helem davar???
: why would Hashem make a whole Eida {of the best} talmidei chachamim
: forget something???

Why the Holocaust? Can anyone still ask "Why did G-d <anything>?"

But still, people have free will. HQBH can /help/ a TC, siyata diShmaya,
but if he doesn't take the steps to remember, Hashem isn't going to step
in and do it for him.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

Re: Torah Pre-Sinai

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T19:38:25

: Obviously the sheva mitzvos b'nei Noach they observed but how did
: they know about the chukim and korbonos, as well as tzitzis, mezuzah,
: tefillin, etc. etc. etc.?

(Mefarshim on the chumash generally address this on Bereishis 26:5.)

Rashi says they kept all the mitzvos. But if you turn to the gemara
Yuma 128b, there are three opinions.

1- Rav: The avos keps the entire Torah
2- R' Ashi: ... even the derabbanans.
3- R Shimi bar Chiya: Avraham only kept the 7 mitzvos and beris Milah.
   (If we're talking all three Avos, presumably the only variation is
   Yaaqov and his sons keeping gid hanasheh.)

Rashi is quoting Rav Ashi. But he is in the minority. Most rishonim hold
like RSBC. Including: the Rambam (Melachim 9:1), his son, the Me'iri
(intro to Avos), the Ramban, Seforno, IE, Radaq, Chizquni and the Ramah
(okay, not a rishon).

According to RMMS's understanding of RYYS (Sefer haMaamarim 5697, pg 282
in a hagah titled "beruchnius velo begashmius), Rav and R' Ashi aren't
being fully literal. The avos accomplished the spiritual objectives of
the mitzvos, and not for every mitzvah did they physically fulfill it
as we would.

RCVolozhiner holds like Rashi, and answers your question in NhC 1:21. He
holds that they were aware enough of their souls to detect what was
missing and intuit halakah.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

Re: why???

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T19:00:09

: a. par helem davar???
: why would Hashem make a whole Eida {of the best} talmidei chachamim
: forget something???

Why the Holocaust? Can anyone still ask "Why did G-d <anything>?"

But still, people have free will. HQBH can /help/ a TC, siyata diShmaya,
but if he doesn't take the steps to remember, Hashem isn't going to step
in and do it for him.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

Re: torture and halacha

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T18:57:46

RSZN sent us a collection of links discussing RJDBleich's article
in Tradition 39:4 (2006) "Survey of Recent Halachic Literature:
Torture and the Ticking Bomb", available to subscribers at
<http://www.traditiononline.org/news/article.cfm?id=100881>.

A summary of the article, which it must be stressed is halakhah velo lemaaseh
is at http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/4218

Quoting "Shalom":
        If we are positive (?) that this person is a rodef, i.e. actively
        trying to kill innocent people, then we can use any force needed
        to stop him, including lethal force.

Is torture worse than lethal force? This is debated by the
Rishonim, but it appears the majority opinion is that if killing
is allowed, torture is too.

Suppose this fellow has knowledge of the ticking-bomb plot, but
wasn't involved in setting the bomb (but if he disclosed his
information we could stop the bomb); that's more complicated,
but I think Rabbi Bleich concludes he's also considered a rodef.

How sure do we have to be that he's a rodef? That's very
unclear ...

There are similar arguments involving kofin oso ad sheyomer
rotzeh ani. It's complicated.

What if this person is entirely innocent, but it's necessary?
E.g. evil terrorist won't talk no matter what we do to him, but
if we torture his family he'll talk. You can't call the family
a rodef.

When a significant portion of the world population is at risk,
there can be a concept of emergency dispensations -- hora'at
sha'ah -- that might allow more than otherwise would be. Rabbi
Bleich said this might be analogous to a court-mandated "torture
warrant" suggested by Dershowitz.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

What's special about shevet Shimon?

2012-05-24T18:39:51

In Bamidbar, we get the count of all the tribes. The language for all 12 is 
identical: "tolodosam, l'mishpchosam, l'vays avosam b'mispar..." except for 
Shimon: " "tolodosam, l'mishpchosam, l'vays avosam PECUDAYV b'mispar..." (1:22) 
What's special about Shimon? 

The tribe of Shimon was the only tribe according to Rashi that did not receive a curse.
Hence, Pecudav (ITS numbers) did not receive a curse.  [That was what was special
about Shimon].

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Torah Pre-Sinai

2012-05-24T18:10:50

I have never received a satisfactory answer to the following question:
We are taught that the Ovos amongst others observed Torah.
Obviously the sheva mitzvos b'nei Noach they observed but how did
they know about the chukim and korbonos, as well as tzitzis, mezuzah,
tefillin, etc. etc. etc.?
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Re: Strengthening Our Belief in Hashem and His Beautiful Torah

Rich, Joel — 2012-05-24T18:03:02

Conclusion

Bertrand Russell (a British philosopher and mathematician who was a
foremost proponent of atheism in the early twentieth century) once was
asked what he will respond if after he dies he meets God and He will judge
him for his lack of belief. Russell responded that he would ask God,
why did You not provide sufficient evidence of Your existence. Hashem
might respond, why didn't you exercise your common sense and look beyond
the secular surface of the world, and see the overwhelming evidence of
My existence and of My Holy Torah.
_______________________________________________
And how does one respond to the question (especially on the R'EW approach) , if it is so patently obvious, why does the vast majority of humanity reject your approach? AIUI  R'EW's response was it's the yetzer hara.
KT
Joel Rich
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yisachar zevulun

2012-05-24T16:45:13

http://www.baishavaad.com/sefira/5772/yissochor-zevulun-optimized.pdf 

interesting  number  6 ----   need  a high level learner .....
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Strengthening Our Belief in Hashem and His Beautiful Torah

Micha Berger — 2012-05-24T15:19:07

 From R' Chaim Jachter's "Halacha Files", from the weekly Kol Torah
published by the Torah Academy of Bergen County
<http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/13-31%20Truth%20of%20Hashem%20and%20Torah.htm>.
Attached in full.

(H/T R' Moshe Snow, who is RCJ's chavrusah, and was my son Zack's rebbe
at JEC-RTMA (the HS named for REMT's father) for much of this past year.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

Strengthening Our Belief in Hashem and His Beautiful Torah
by Rabbi Chaim Jachter

Introduction

It is worthwhile to occasionally explore the foundations of our beliefs
and lives. Thus, I wish to share with readers of Kol Torah why I am
completely convinced of the truth of Hashem and His Holy Torah. I wish to
present five approaches that I have found exceedingly convincing. I wish
to follow the Rambam's example from the introduction to his commentary
to Pirkei Avot (called the Shemonah Perakim) and clarify that some of
the ideas I will present come from outside our Tradition. The Rambam
urges us in this context "to accept the Truth whatever its source."

Introduction

It is important to clarify that I do not seek to "prove" Hashem's
existence, because as modern philosophers have noted, this is not a
productive exercise. Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik in his classic essay The
Lonely Man of Faith cites Soren Kierkegaard's (a major mid-nineteenth
century religious philosopher) reaction when hearing that the medieval
philosopher Anselm of Canterbury engaged in prayer an entire evening
beseeching God to help him formulate his celebrated Ontological Proof of
God's Existence. Kierkegaard, in turn, asked, does a bride in the embrace
of her beloved bridegroom require proof of his existence? Kierkegaard
argues that Anselm's intense prayer constituted a more authentic "proof"
of God than the Ontological Proof.

Moreover, modern philosophers (such as Descartes and Kant) have
demonstrated that one can "prove" very little, if anything. Descartes
notes that one cannot prove that other people exist, as perhaps it is
merely an evil demon that is painting a false image on one's brain to
fool one into thinking that others exist. Despite the inability to prove
the existence of others, I nevertheless am one hundred percent convinced
of the existence of others. Similarly, I am thoroughly convinced of the
Truth of Hashem and His Torah.

Rav Elchanan Wasserman -- The Argument from Design

Rav Elchanan Wasserman (in his Kovetz Maamarim) argues that it is
obvious that there is a God from the fact that we see order in this
world. Common sense teaches that this is impossible for this to happen by
itself and thus it is obvious that the world has a Creator. Philosophers
have traditionally referred to this type of proof as the argument from
design. Many earlier Jewish philosophers such as Rabbeinu Bachya espoused
this argument for Hashem's existence.

Rav Elchanan takes this argument one step further arguing that it is
also obvious that the Creator would provide a manual on how to function
in the world He created. We may draw an analogy to a car manufacturer
who provides a manual on how to operate the car he has created. So too,
argues Rav Elchanan, common sense dictates that Hashem provided a manual,
namely the Torah, for humans to know how to act.

Ramban and Kuzari -- Mesorah

For the Ramban (commentary to Shemot 13:16) and the Kuzari the most
persuasive argument for faith in Torah is Tradition. As the Kuzari notes,
the miracles associated with great events in Jewish history, Yetziat
Mitzrayim and Maamad Har Sinai, were witnessed by millions of people who
passed this information to their descendants year after year at their
Seders. This is unlike the miracles claimed by other religions that are
described as having occurred before a very limited number of people.

One might argue that Bnei Yisrael accepted the Torah because they
were a docile and gullible people who accepted anything and everything
that Moshe Rabbeinu told them, because of his seductive and persuasive
oratory. However, this is hardly true as Bnei Yisrael regrettably were
constantly bickering and disobedient to Moshe Rabbeinu. Moreover, Moshe
Rabbeinu was a very poor speaker. Virtually the only time we were unified
was at Har Sinai (see Rashi Shemot 19:1). The reason we united at Sinai
was that the authenticity of the Har Sinai experience was profoundly
compelling and unquestionably persuasive.

Similarly, we find in every generation that observant Jews are not
passive and gullible people who are accepting of everything. Every
significant Talmudic and Halachik issue is carefully examined and great
experts and laypeople vigorously and rigorously analyze every new and
old opinion. Yet observant Jews agree upon core values and beliefs such
as the divine authorship of the torah. The Rambam (Hilchot Mamrim 1:3)
indicates that if there is no dispute regarding a particular law then this
law must originate as a tradition from Sinai. Examples of such laws are
the Halacha that our Tefillin must be colored black and that our Mezuzot
contain only the two Parshiot of Shema and Vihaya Im Shamoa. I have often
surmised that these matters must be of heavenly origin; otherwise, we
would be fighting rigorously about these laws in the manner we do about
so many other Halachot.

Incidentally, it seems that this is the reason why the Sefer HaChinuch
(21) rules that women are obligated in the Mitzvah of Sippur Yetziat
Mitzrayim (recounting the story of our Exodus from Egypt) even though it
is a time-bound positive Mitzvah from which women are normally excused
(see the Minchat Chinuch's criticism of the chinuch's ruling. The
essence of Sippur Yetziat Mitzrayim is the transmittal of faith from
one generation to another by recounting and authenticating the Exodus
story. Women are thus certainly included in this Mitzvah. This also
explains why grandparents play such an important role to in Sippur
Yetziat Mitzrayim (see Shemot 10:2 and the comments of the Oznayim
LaTorah ad. loc.). Josh Strobel of TABC uses a similar argument to
explain the Ramban's opinion that women are obligated to count the Omer
(see my Bikkurei Sukkah section 60).

The Argument from Jewish History -- The Aruch Hashulchan

The Aruch Hashulchan (Orach Chaim 1:10) wrote (in 1903):

"There is no greater sign and proof than our survival of nearly two
thousand years of Exile. The only reason for our survival is because of
Hashem's Hashgacha (divine providence) that is not removed from us even
for a moment like a father who watches over his only child and chastises
him for the latter's benefit."

Indeed, one who ponders the wonders of Jewish history realizes that
logically we should have disappeared long ago. Our survival attests to
the fact that Hashem watches over His special people. Indeed, the stories
of Am Yisrael's close encounters with extinction in the Tanach (such as
the infertility of Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu as well as Yitzchak
Avinu and Rivkah Imeinu, the Exodus from Mitzrayim and the parting of
the Yam Suf, and being saved from Haman) have been repeated in our time.

The Jewish People seemed to have been lost and finished as a nation after
World War II. Yet we managed to establish Medinat Yisrael in 1948 despite
overwhelming odds. Rav Yehuda Amital (Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion)
has often commented that some future historians will likely cast grave
doubts on the authenticity of the story of a downtrodden people, who lost
a third of its people within six years, who, three years later, managed to
reestablish its homeland in an extremely hostile environment by throwing
seltzer bottles from planes and firing fake cannons (such as the Davidka).

In America, as well as Israel, sociologists in the 1950's predicted
that Orthodox Judaism would soon disappear. Look Magazine in the 1950's
ran a famous cover story entitled "The Vanishing Orthodox Jew." Baruch
Hashem, at this point, there are (Bli Ayin Hara) approximately one
million Orthodox Jews in this country (including Chareidi and Modern
Orthodox Jews) and the once popular Look Magazine has vanished. Moreover,
Orthodox Jewry is the only group of Jews that is, with Hashem's help,
increasing in numbers.

Interestingly, Akiva Weiss of TABC has suggested (also see Rav
Soloveitchik's Kol Dodi Dofeik) that the reason that this generation is
the one that Hashem has decided to create Medinat Yisrael, is that this
was necessary to facilitate the continuation of our faith in Torah after
the Holocaust. Indeed, Rav Soloveitchik recalled that when he traveled
from Boston to New York to give Shiur at Yeshiva University during the
Second World War, he constantly encountered missionaries who argued
that the Holocaust was "proof" that Hashem had abandoned the Jewish
People. The establishment of Medinat Yisrael undermined this argument
that was used against us.

Rav Soloveitchik -- The Argument from Halacha

Rav Soloveitchik writes in his classic essay, The Ish Halacha, that the
Halacha is the most compelling proof for the truth of Torah. I understand
this to mean that the scholar (or student guided by a competent teacher)
who plumbs the depths of the Halachic system will be overwhelmed with
its beauty and majesty to the point that he is left with no other option
than to accept the divine origin of this system. It also might mean that
one who spends a lifetime dedicated to abiding by the Halachic system
will conclude that it is indeed the finest prescription for leading a
fulfilling and content life. He will also comprehend why a recurring
theme in Sefer Devarim that the Torah's rules are "Litov Lach," serve
our best interest.

Another meaning of Rav Soloveitchik's assertion appears to be the
incredible enterprise of applying the ancient Halacha to the contemporary
situation. The world in general and the Jewish People specifically in
the last hundred years have undergone a dramatic and unprecedented degree
of change in all area ranging from technology to sociology and political
reality. Nonetheless, Poskim have readily applied the venerated concepts
of the Gemara to modern circumstances. Amazingly, Poskim find a precedent
in the Gemara for virtually every new phenomenon that emerges in society.

For example, precedents exist in the Gemara for electricity (see Sanhedrin
77), in vitro fertilization (see Chullin 70), and Jews who deviate from
Halacha who are psychologically unable to grasp their error (Sanhedrin
26). A perusal of every issue of the Israeli Torah journal Techumin
demonstrates the ability of Halacha to be applied to the contemporary
situation in Medinat Yisrael despite the fact that we had not enjoyed
political independence for nearly two thousand years.

Similarly, it is profoundly inspirational to study Tanach using the
methodologies of the teachers at Yeshivat Har Etzion's Herzog College,
such as Rav Yoel Bin Nun and Rav Elchanan Samet. They have used the
sophisticated tools of modern literary analysis that Bible critics use
to denigrate Torah, to actually provide stunningly profound insights
into Tanach and Chazal. A perusal of every issue of Megadim contains
breathtaking new insights into our holy Torah and Chazal. Indeed, Rav
Mordechai Breuer observes (in an essay published in Herzog College's
Esther Hee Haddassa p. 66) that just as the pole that Haman wished to
hang Mordechai upon was used to hang Haman, the methodologies that Bible
critics wish to use to disparage the Torah are used to bring glory to
Torah and Chazal.

Rambam on Ahavat Hashem

The Rambam (Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:2) writes that an appreciation of
nature can draw one close to Hashem and love Him (Ahavat Hashem) and
stand in awe of Him (Yirat Hashem). In our generation we are given an
even greater opportunity to draw close to Hashem due to the magnificent
scientific discoveries of the last hundred years. One who contemplates
the magnificence even of the tiny e-Coli and certainly the intricacies
of the human eye has the ability to profoundly enrich his Yirat Hashem
and Ahavat Hashem.

Rav Yoel Bin Nun on Megillat Esther

One may wonder why so many intelligent people are not convinced of the
truth of Hashem and Torah. Rav Elchanan Wasserman (Kovetz Maamarim)
ascribes such lack of belief to people's wish to justify engaging in
inappropriate activities. He cites as proof the Pasuk in Tehillim (14:1)
that states "a degenerate states in his heart that there is no God."

Another explanation for this phenomenon emerges from an understanding
of the methodology of Megillat Esther as explained by Rav Yoel Bin Nun
(in an essay published in Herzog College's Esther Hee Hadassah). Rav Yoel
notes that the Megillat Esther at first glance seems quite secular. For
example, it contains no mention of God and even seems to deliberately
omit mentioning Hashem's name (see, for example, Esther 4:14-16). Rav
Yoel explains that one has to look behind the superficial presentation
of events in Megillat Esther to discover Hashem, such as why Esther
among all the beautiful women of the Persian Empire was chosen as queen,
why Mordechai foiled a plot to kill Achashveirosh, and why Achashveirosh
was sleepless and reading about Mordechai's actions the night that Haman
came to ask permission to execute Mordechai.

Similarly, the world functions today as it is depicted in Megillat
Esther. Hashem has placed a secular veneer upon the world and we must
use our common sense to peel back this secular layer in order to be able
to find Hashem. Those who do not believe in Hashem and his Torah have
not exercised their common sense and see beyond the secular surface of
our world.

Conclusion

Bertrand Russell (a British philosopher and mathematician who was a
foremost proponent of atheism in the early twentieth century) once was
asked what he will respond if after he dies he meets God and He will judge
him for his lack of belief. Russell responded that he would ask God,
why did You not provide sufficient evidence of Your existence. Hashem
might respond, why didn't you exercise your common sense and look beyond
the secular surface of the world, and see the overwhelming evidence of
My existence and of My Holy Torah.
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