A Sign From Above

“If you will not heed Me, and you behave toward Me with indifference, I will behave toward you with a fury of indifference … (Vayikra 26:27)

The parsha begins with a promise for a life of peace, tranquility, blessing, and abundance, if the Jewish people observe Hashem’s commandments. “I will provide your rains in their time, the land will give its produce, and the tree will give its fruit … you will eat to satiety, and you will dwell securely in your land” (Vayikra 26:3-5).

However, if the people will not do the will of Hashem, continue the pesukim, there will be retribution, G-d forbid. “You will sow your seeds in vain … you will be struck down before enemies … I will break the pride of the might …”

As our merciful Father, Hashem is not specifying this reckoning as curses. Rather, He is warning His children that if they engage in dangerous behavior it will result in pain and affliction. Hashem loves His children and is advising us of the pitfalls in the world.

R’ Nissim Yagen reminds us that when a person transgresses, he causes himself harm, G-d forbid. Before the destruction of the Holy Temple, the Jewish people were repeatedly warned to repent. Yet, we find, that they did not always heed the admonishment of the prophets, resulting in the ruination of Yerushalayim and the loss of the Bais HaMikdash. People were slaughtered; famine and starvation were rampant, and there was thought of cannibalism.

The reproof in the Torah derives from Hashem’s love and His desire that we adhere to His Torah. “My dear children,” pleads Hashem, “do teshuva. Take the rebukes to heart.” This can be compared to a doctor who cautions his patient not to eat or drink certain foods because even a little could cause him pain or weakness, and ultimately his life could be at risk.

Hashem gives us opportunities to do teshuva. He delivers minor punishments to put us on notice. However, if these signals are ignored, then the suffering becomes more and more difficult.

The Rambam (Hilchos Taaniyos 1:1) cites the pasuk (Bamidbar 10:9) that it is a positive commandment to cry out, and to sound the trumpets in the event of any difficulty that arises which affects the community, whether famine, locusts, or the like. He states that is one of the paths of repentance, to recognize that the difficulty occurred because of their sins. If on the other hand, the people think their troubles are incidental and happenstance, then Hashem will respond in kind, for everything that happens in the world is guided with precise razor-sharp Divine Providence.

After R’ Shimon bar Yochai’s criticism of the Roman government was reported, he was forced to flee for his life and hide. Without telling anyone of their whereabouts, R’ Shimon hid in a cave together with his son R’ Elazar for thirteen years.

One day they encountered a hunter who was shooting birds with a bow and arrow. They noticed that some birds were caught, while others escaped. When a Heavenly voice called out “freedom” the bird would escape; if the voice called out “captured,” the bird would be killed by the arrow.

R’ Shimon then remarked to his son, “If the bird cannot escape unless it is so decreed from Heaven, certainly the life of the human being is likewise directed by Heaven. Why do we need to hide? Everything is from Hashem, and nothing will happen without His Heavenly decree.”

The Talmud (Brachos 59a) states: “Thunder was created only to straighten the crookedness of the heart.” R’ Aryeh Kaplan expounds that, according to the Me’or Einiyim, it is Hashem’s intent that man should discern the thunder as a stepping stone to achieve a higher level of yiras Shamayim (fear of Heaven). When one considers that thunder is only one of Hashem’s minor powers, then he will certainly fear Hashem Himself, and he will eventually realize that there is no fear other than the fear of Hashem.

An individual who developed a serious complication in his large intestine consulted three different experts, who all advised him that if he wished to live he had no alternative but to undergo surgery.

The individual was extremely stressed about the surgery. Friday night before the surgery, he dreamt of an elderly man he used to visit in a retirement home in Yerushalayim, about 40 years earlier.

When he had first met the resident, he seemed to be in great pain, and he finally admitted that he had intestinal problems. The visitor immediately went over to the nurse, and asked her what could be done for the elderly man.

The nurse explained that his was a complicated case that could only be corrected in a hospital. Although the administration had informed the children that their father needed medical attention in a hospital, they insisted it was the home’s responsibility. The matter had not been resolved, and the poor man continued to suffer.

The visitor promptly ordered an ambulance and personally escorted the elderly man to the hospital, where he was taken care of immediately. The doctor in charge noted that if there had been a delay of even one more day, the patient would have died.

At that time, the visitor was an avrech in kollel who was receiving a stipend of 500 liras a month, the amount it had cost him for the ambulance and the procedure. Seeking reimbursement, the avrech asked for a contact address and learned that the patient was from a well-known family. However, the children maintained that it was not their concern. Their father’s care was the responsibility of the retirement home, and no one had asked him to get involved.

The avrech did not approach them again.

Every time he went to visit the retirement home, he would stop in to see the elderly man, who thanked him constantly from the depths of his heart for his kindness. Subsequently, when the avrech noticed that the elderly man was in pain again, and found out the ailment had returned, he ordered an ambulance again, accompanied the elderly man to the hospital, and paid all the expenses. The elderly man was treated, soon recovered and was able to return to the retirement home. This happened a few times.

Forty-two years later, the avrech had completely forgotten about his acts of chesed, and was awaiting surgery for the same condition. The elderly man appeared to him in a dream and told him: “When I found out about the difficulty you are now experiencing, I appeared before the Heavenly Court and asked how it was possible that a person who did such good for me should suffer with that same sickness? The Heavenly Court agreed with me, and I have come to tell you that your surgery will be highly successful with no complications.”

We say in the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei of Rosh Hashana, “Hashem remembers all that is forgotten.” Even when one no longer recalls the chesed he has done Hashem does remember and rewards the individual, even it is much later.