Is a mitzvah worth a miracle?

Hi,

The comment below is in response to a Talmudic suggestion (Yevamot 71b-72a) that the Jews in the wilderness between Egypt and Israel did not circumcise their sons because of concern for the heat. The normally mitigating north wind did not blow, lest it disturb the protective Clouds of Glory that Gd had sent.

"One might say, 'Gd could have had the north wind blow without scattering the clouds of glory, and so the mitzvah of circumcision would not have been cancelled.' It is true that no tactic is beyond Gd, but Gd indeed instructed that circumcision be performed at eight days, and yet He was silent and He did not instruct them to circumcise those born during those years, for the mitzvah was not thereby cancelled, but only postponed until later.

"Gd would not alter the way of the world to avoid delaying a mitzvah; even though Gd does change the way of the world somewhat for certain miracles, in splitting the Red Sea and the Jordan and in halting the Sun, He does not do this for most miracles. Even in military victories and in helping those who love Him, he does it via a [natural] cause…"

(Radak to Yehoshua 5:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justice and Tzedakah will eliminate fast days

Hi,

"If you will engage in justice and tzedakah, you will not need to fast, for we will build the Beit haMikdash and you will ascend from exile and you will dwell in the land eternally."

(Radak to Zecharyah 7:5)

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai

Sacred marriage

Hi,

"The clinging of man and woman is sacred to Gd, as in, 'And he shall cling to his wife. (Bereishit 2:24)'"

(Radak to Michah 2:11)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Future Elevation of Jerusalem

Hi,

Zecharyah 14:9 predicts the levelling of land around Jerusalem. Radak explains:

"Even though she is already elevated above all of Israel now, her height is not that visible because of the mountains which surround her. At that time the land around her will be a plain, and so her height will be visible above the entire land. Thus Yeshayah (2:2, and Michah 4:1) said, "The mountain of the house of Gd will be established at the head of the mountains and elevated above hills." That actually refers to elevation in stature, but all will be true, this and that."

(Radak to Zecharyah 14:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justice leads to peace

Hi,

"If you will judge righteously, there will be peace between litigants. The Sages have taught, 'When a person whose coat has been taken leaves the court, he sings as he walks.'"

(Radak to Zecharyah 8:16)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The symbolism of White

Hi,

"Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon wrote that since the first Greek king was Alexander of Macedonia - who was a philosophical scholar, and wisdom is white and pure - therefore Zecharyah's vision portrayed his reign with white [horses]."

(Radak to Zecharyah 6:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justice is the end of war

Hi,

"If there will be war or complaints between nations, they will come before Mashiach for justice, for he will be master of all nations, and he will teach them, telling the one who is crooked, “Straighten out that which has been made perverse for your plaintiff.” Therefore there will be no war between nations, for he will make peace between them and they will not need weapons."

(Radak to Michah 4:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The future of Jerusalem

Hi,

Yoel 4:17 says, "Jerusalem will be holy, and strangers will no longer pass through."

"“Strangers will no longer pass through” to harm them, as they had done until today. It is also possible that strangers will not enter Jerusalem because in the future her sanctity will grow. Just as one – even a Yisrael - may not enter the heichal, so the whole city will be holy, and strangers from the nations will not be permitted to enter."

(Radak to Yoel 4:17)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Redemption through tears

Hi,

"'And he [Yosef] gave voice, in tears [when he was reunited with brothers]' - Just as Yosef appeased his brothers only with tears, so Gd will redeem the Jews only with tears, as it is written [Yirmiyah 31:8], 'In tears they will come, and in beseeching I will bring them.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 93:13)

Note Radak to Yirmiyah 31:8 - "There are tears of joy, for example, 'And Yaakov kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and cried.'... So, too, this is a case of crying fromgreat joy. When they come to their land they will cry, for it will have been many years since they were exiled therefrom."

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Resurrection of the Dead

Hi,

"According to our belief, we, the children of Israel, hold within our beliefs that the souls will return to the original matter from which they departed. This will occur at the time of the resurrection of the dead, of which HaShem informed us.

"This will occur miraculously and wondrously, and not in the manner of nature.

"Regarding this it is written, 'You will send forth Your spirit and they will be created, and renewed upon the face of the earth.'"

(Radak to Tehillim 104:30)

Have a great day,
Mordechai