INSIGHT 5768 - #09 TWO VISIONS OF GOD
T.B. Shabbat 32a informs us, from
how Yaakov Avinu responded to the threat of Esav,
that one should not place himself/herself in a dangerous
situation, relying upon a miracle to escape the peril.
Although God promised Yaakov to protect him,1
our forefather still took action in preparing for battle,
and for the escape of some of his family, if that was to
be the outcome. Yaakovs statement in Bereishit
32:11, the gemara explains, offers insight
into why Yaakov did so and chose not to rely upon a
miracle. Who is to say that a miracle will indeed be
performed? And even if it does occur, there is a
consequence its performance will be deducted from
our merits; in this specific Torah case, Yaakovs
merits. It seems that Yaakov did not want his merits to
be reduced in return for Gods miraculous
intervention on his behalf.
Is it Gods intervention that concerns Yaakov
or is it specifically Gods miraculous intervention
that is his concern? If it is indeed the latter that is
his concern, why is there this distinction? I ask these
questions because the gemaras conclusion and
this verses teaching are somewhat bewildering. The
context of this verse is, actually, a prayer by Yaakov
for protection. If we are to learn from this verse that
we should shy away from creating the need for God to
intervene, why is Yaakov then praying, asking for
Gods intervention? Does this not show that, in
spite of the fact that we do lose merit with Gods
intervention in this world on our behalf, we nonetheless
must pray for that intervention when it is demanded?
After all, this is what Yaakov did. How exactly does this
verse teach us that we are not to stand in a place of
danger, relying upon Gods intervention as it
detracts from our merits, when in fact Yaakov is praying
for that intervention?
There are actually many different possible paths
that can be undertaken to answer this question. One is
not that we are never supposed to pray for Gods
intervention; we are not supposed to enter into
situations that demand of us to seek Gods
intervention, as this intervention leads to a loss of
merit. Nonetheless, if we find ourselves thrust into a
dangerous situation we are obviously supposed to pray to
God to help. This actually may explain why the gemara specifically
learns that we are not to put ourselves in places of
danger, from this case of Yaakov, even though that
wasnt exactly Yaakovs situation. Esav was
traveling towards him; Yaakov was not seeking Esav. What
we actually learn from the verse is simply that
Gods intervention has a price of a deduction of
merits; that is why Yaakov states, at the beginning of
his prayer, that he is not worthy for, due to Gods
pervious kindnesses, he has lost merit. Nonetheless,
Yaakov still seeks Gods intervention in his
present, dangerous situation.
Another possibility may lie in distinguishing
between a miraculous intervention by God and a
non-miraculous intervention. Miraculous interventions may
lead to a deduction of merit but an intervention through
the ways of nature may not have such cost. The fact is
that it is impossible to speak of a world, an event, a
case, whereby God does not intervene. In every aspect of
existence, God inherently intervenes. As such it is
difficult to speak of Gods interventions as
carrying a cost of merits. The fact is, though, that, in
line with Gods purpose for the existence of this
world, this intervention is to coincide with the rules of
nature. It is when God intervenes outside of these rules,
through miracles, that we find our merits deducted in
consequence of such intervention. Yaakov, as such, in his
prayer, stated that he met all the needs of the situation
within the realm of nature and was praying for God to
intervene in nature to assure the results for which he
wished, but still results that do not contradict the way
of nature and the involvement of humanity in what occurs.
It is the miraculous intervention that we are to attempt
to avoid because of its cost to us in our merits.
Such works as Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzattos
Daat Tevunot attempt to understand why God
created this world. If God is, by definition HaTov
vHaMeitiv, the Good and the Giver of Good, why
did He simply not directly create a world that is totally
good? The classical answer to this question is that God
wished to create the possibility for the human being to
earn the good, for a good that is earned is a greater
good. This is the purpose of this world, a place where
human beings can earn the good. What is often overlooked
with this statement is that it also presents a dichotomy
in our understanding of God. To allow the human being to
earn reward necessitates God allowing aspects of
existence to be dependent upon the actions and will of
humanity. Gods essence is tov and meitiv.
As such it is Gods Will that human beings should
always receive the good. To allow, though, human beings
to earn their reward, God had to override His Will to
give and allow the achievement of the good to be
dependent upon the accomplishments of the human being.
God bringing a miracle to save a human being from harm is
actually an action totally in line with Gods
Essence and Will; He is HaTov vHaMeitiv. For
that not to happen, God must override His very Will to
allow the actions of the human being to determine what
will occur.2 Of course, God is the final
arbiter of all that occurs but when He acts totally
within the rules of nature, the human element is still
recognized. The human being is still involved; merit
still is a possibility. Yaakov, in response to the threat of Esav, responded totally within the rules of nature. The result, to some extent, was based on the actions of humanity. Yaakov can still pray for God to intervene on his behalf, within these parameters, for the Divine purpose for the world is not thereby challenged. What occurs is still, to some extent, dependent on humanity, Not so in the case of a miracle. In such a case we are asking God to totally act in response to His Will, His Essence of tov and meitiv. To balance that with the very purpose of the world, human merit must be lost. What is really lost is the very value of human merit .
. Rabbi Benjamin Hecht e-mail Footnotes 1 Yaakovs response to
the threat of Esav actually raises two distinct questions
(although they are somewhat connected). One is
Yaakovs very concern, given that Hashem already
promised him that He would protect Yaakov. To this
question, T.B. Berachot 4a responds she'ma
yigrom ha'chet, lest a sin causes God to retract His
assurances. Yaakov understood Gods promises of
protection to still be dependent upon Yaakovs
behaviour, thus he was concerned that God would not
interfere to protect him even though God said that He
would. The question in the gemara in Shabbat,
though, it somewhat different. Here the gemaras
concern is why Yaakov does not want God to intervene even
though God will intervene. Why did Yaakov not just let
God do a miracle especially in that God said that
He would protect Yaakov. To this question the gemara
gives two answers. The first one, which is really more
applicable to us rather than to Yaakov, is the query, who
says God will perform such a miracle. The second, more on
point in the case of Yaakov, is that miracles performed
on our behalf detract from our merits. 2 In a similar vein, see T.B.
Yoma 69b © Nishma, 2007
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