Miracles – Then and Now
Rabbi Dov Begon, Head of Yeshivat Machon Meir
There are two types of miracles we publicize on Hanukah: a supernatural miracle and a natural miracle. The supernatural miracle is the miracle of the oil flask that burned for eight days instead of one, defying the laws of nature. The natural miracle is the military victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks—despite being few and weak, the Maccabees triumphed over the numerous and powerful Greeks with the assistance of Hashem.
The supernatural miracle teaches us that despite the laws of nature, there is one Legislator who is above them and can change them at will. G-d, blessed be He, is not limited by time or space—”there is none besides Him.” Out of His love for Israel, He subjugates nature to His will and performs miracles and wonders for us.
The natural miracle teaches us that G-d helps those who show self-sacrifice for the People of Israel. G-d, blessed be He, grants them strength beyond their limited capabilities, as evidenced by the Maccabees’ victory over the Greeks.
At present, we must publicize the great miracle of our generation: the revival of the People of Israel in the Land of Israel after the long exile. The People of Israel in exile are likened to dry bones, as described by the prophet Ezekiel: “Can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). This miracle involves self-sacrifice, struggles, and a long and hard battle—like the War of Independence, the Six-Day War, and all other wars up to the current war and its miracles. Just as Israel had Divine Assistance in the past, so too in the present we merit and will continue to merit seeing the miracle of withstanding and defeating our enemies. We will see with our own eyes the fulfillment of the vision of the dry bones: “I will put My spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own Land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:14).
Just as the miracle of the lights was a miracle which developed gradually over a period of eight days, so too the great miracle of the ingathering of the scattered Jewish People to Israel is a gradually developing miracle which proceeds toward completion over time. As the Prophet declares:
“For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and I will bring you into your own Land. Then I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be clean; from all of your uncleanlinesses, and from all of your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit in you, and cause you to follow My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them. And you shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be My people, and I shall be your G-d” (Ezekiel, 36:24-28).
The return to our true national identity, and the spiritual revolution which follows, encompasses all aspects of Jewish life. This great return, while still in its nascent stages, is something we have witnessed in our time. First, out of the graveyards of exile came a new hope and zest for life, as if our scattered, dry bones were rising to rebirth in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy (Ezekiel, 37:1-14). Out of the ashes of the Holocaust, the Jewish Nation was reborn in Israel. The Hebrew language was restored. After two-thousand years of wandering, the Jews returned to being an independent Nation in our own Land. An incredible, new awakening of Jewish valor and physical prowess, epitomized by the Israel Defense Forces, startled the world. The ingathering of exiles from the four corners of the earth led to the building of a dynamic, progressive society. Yeshivas were opened all over the country. Today, Israel is unquestionably the Torah center of the world. All of these things are aspects of national t’shuva, of our Nation returning to its holy roots.
As Rabbi Kook writes:
“Without question, the light of Mashiach, and the salvation of Israel, the rebirth of the Nation and the Land, the revival of its language and literature — all stem from the source of t’shuva, and everything will be brought out of the depths to the heights of the highest t’shuva ” (Orot Ha’Tshuva, 4:11).
The return of a scattered people to its Land is no simple matter. Because of the magnitude of the undertaking, there are numerous problems. Nonetheless, Rabbi Kook assures us that our eternal inner longing for G-d will overcome all of the barriers. Even the brazen secularism, which seems so contrary to the nation’s holiest goals, will become a powerful vessel bursting with Torah. The process is unfolding before our eyes. Day by day, the light of Israel increases. How blessed we are to be a part of the miracles of Hanukah at this time.
With the yearning for complete salvation, may it be soon.
