The Biggest Miracle
After years of separation, Yaakov Avinu meets his son, Yosef. In this dramatic moment, Yosef “fell on his [Yaakov’s] neck and he wept on his neck excessively” (Bereishis 46:29). The verse does not mention that Yaakov wept or embraced Yosef. Rashi (ibid.) explains that at that moment, Yaakov was busy with something else — he was reciting Keriyas Shema.
The Maharal asks: Did this incident take place at the time of the mitzvah to say Keriyas Shema? If so, why didn’t Yosef say Keriyas Shema as well? And if not, why did Yaakov see fit to say Keriyas Shema just at this moment?
The Maharal answers that this was a very special moment in Yaakov’s life. The son he had thought dead was not only alive, he was the Viceroy of Egypt and had remained a tzaddik as well. This was such an awesome display of Hashem’s chessed that Yaakov felt himself obligated to increase his level of avodas Hashem. This was a time to re-accept the yoke of Heaven with redoubled efforts, and he expressed this by saying keriyas Shema.
The Chovos Halevavos (Shaar Avodas Ha’Elokim 3) states that every Jew should recognize that he is receiving tremendous good from Hashem, and every time he recognizes a new manifestation of Hashem’s good, he should strengthen his avodas Hashem. Dovid even davened that Hashem help him see more and more of his chassadim, in order to increase his avodas Hashem.
The Mesilas Yesharim (8) says that in fact, every Jew, in any situation, can get himself to feel Hashem’s chessed. Even if he is impoverished — if he begins looking into the details of his life, he will very soon discern that even he is receiving myriad chassadim. Let him ask how it was that despite his abject poverty, Hashem managed to provide him enough that he survived until today. How did He do that?
Even one who is suffering an illness can see, in the midst of his afflictions, that his body is still functioning. In fact, despite his pain and weakness, most of the workings of his body seem to go on smoothly. All the more so if we are in reasonably good health and are getting by financially, we should ask: Where is this coming from, if not Hashem? This should make us think: What can I give back to Hashem? At least let me do mitzvos with more zeal!
In Tehilim 136, known as Hallel Hagadol, we relate a long list of praises of Hashem, from creating the world, taking us out of Egypt, splitting the Red Sea, bringing us into Eretz Yisrael, and more. The final praise of the chapter is: “You give sustenance to all flesh, Your kindness is everlasting.” The sages (Pesachim 118a) say that the giving of sustenance is the greatest chessed among all those listed in this chapter. In fact, that final praise is the reason why the chapter is known as “Hallel Hagadol.”
Why is Hashem’s providing sustenance considered a greater miracle than such world-shaping events as the Exodus and the Splitting of the Red Sea?
The answer is that such major events occurred one time in history, whereas Hashem’s providing of sustenance to every living creature is something that goes on every moment. His providing our sustenance means that we can feel Hashem’s chessed in our lives every moment. This should inspire a person’s to greater levels of avodas Hashem.
Many of us are so accustomed to Hashem’s ongoing acts of chessed that we do not feel them. Here are two practices recommended by gedolim as to how to address this situation.
Rav Avigdor Miller would advise that when davening for Jews who are ill or need other yeshu’os, we should also think about how fortunate we are that we are not suffering their plight. “Many people make the mistake of feeling that it is bad taste to think in such a way, as if we are gloating, or consider ourselves better than the sick person. On the contrary, we recognize that just as they are suffering, we too might be suffering,” Rav Miller would say, adding: “As you wait for the hospital elevator on your way to visit a sick person, look at the chart that states: ‘Oncology ward, second story; cardiology ward, third story; intensive care, fourth story,’ and think to yourself: ‘Baruch Hashem, I don’t need this ward, and I don’t need that ward!’ ”
My father would advise discussing Hashem’s chassadim with others, and he did this with us all the time. We should look for opportunities to share such bits of chizuk with others. Any get-together, be it a birthday party, a bus ride as we sit next to a friend, and surely with the family at the Shabbos table, these can become perfect forums for sharing examples of how Hashem has helped us. The very act of talking about this helps us to appreciate Hashem’s chassadim more.
An acquaintance of mine once told me that he had seen a most unusual sight at the Kossel on Motzaei Shabbos: “A man was davening, and I was sure he was in desperate need of a yeshua. His tears and fervor were mesmerizing. After he finished, I approached him to see what was wrong; perhaps I could help.
“No, nothing is wrong, baruch Hashem,” the davener told my acquaintance. “Everything is fine. I come here every Motzaei Shabbos to thank Hashem for all the chassadim he did for me in the past week, and to beg of Him that He help me again in the coming week. That’s all.”
May we be zoche to recognize Hashem’s chessed and strengthen our avoda!