EXOD197 It was taught: "There will not depart, the pillar of cloud, by day, and the pillar of fire, by night"- This teaches us that the pillar of cloud overlapped [in the transition] the pillar of fire, and the pillar of fire overlapped the pillar of cloud (Shabbat 23b). Scripture hereby teaches us proper deportment vis-à-vis the eve of Sabbath [namely, to add from the non--consecrated (i.e. Friday afternoon) to the consecrated (Sabbath). While the pillar of cloud was still in place, the pillar of fire emerged. (Mechilta)

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EXOD198 Now since man is obviously confined within time and space, his deeds cannot penetrate beyond a certain limit -- the furthest point his merit can reach. Hence Scripture has advised us that when we see the merits of our forefathers becoming exhausted, we should ourselves awaken the attributes of God's goodness and chesed for us, by clinging in our deeds to the same virtues. Then, measure for measure, His chesed will envelop us and will never depart from us. (The expression lo yamush carries the implication of "will never depart", as in [this verse], lo yamish -- "the pillar of cloud shall not at any time depart.")

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EXOD199 See [[DEUT41]] Deuteronomy 2:30 hardened SPERO 245-6

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EXOD200 See [[DEUT41]] Deuteronomy 2:30 hardened SPERO 245-6

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EXOD201 Even though people think of anti-Semitism in negative terms, sometimes there can be a positive end to this hate. The Talmud Megillah 14a says that the anti-Semitism displayed by Achashverosh in decreeing against the Jews in the Purim story did more to inspire the Jews than the prophecy and admonishings of all forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses. What does this mean? The negative acts of Achashverosh woke up the Jews and inspired them to do good, as no prophet did, says the Talmud, because it is often the negative acts against the Jews that bring them together and wake them out of their spiritual slumber. The decree of a wicked king mobilized the Jews to become more Jewish, where the prophets could not. This idea is alluded to in the Torah. After the Jews left Egypt, the verse says that Pharaoh drew closer to the people as he chased them. But the tense for the verb "drew closer" actually reads "he brought them closer" as a causative, hif-il. Thus, according to some commentaries, the Torah is actually telling us that Pharaoh (and not any other action by Moses) brought the people closer. That is what happened with both Achashverosh and Pharaoh. Even in modern times, this phenomenon can be seen. It was only after the progroms and anti-Semitism in Europe during the 1880s that the Jews started seriously to move to Palestine and actualize the Zionist dream. In more recent times, after the establishment of the State of Israel, the desire to come on aliyah has not usually been strong enough to track the masses to the State. The massive aliyah of Jews from Arab countries, from Russia, and from Ethiopia has come about because of anti-Semitism. Once again, the terrible pain of anti-Semitism has led to a positive result, aliyah.

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EXOD202 Simeon his son said … not learning but doing is the main thing. Pirkei Avot, Perek I, Mishnah 17. In short, theory is not as important as practice. This is quite similar to the teaching of Shammai, "Speak little and do much." We find a discussion taking place among the tanna'im as to which is greater: study or practice. Different opinions were given, and finally all agreed that learning is greater since learning will lead to deeds. (T.B. Kiddushin 40b). Without adequate knowledge, proper deeds are impossible. But since learning is looked upon as only a means, it would appear that the essence, the important thing, is truly the deed. Our own Jewish community often appears to be sinking by the sheer weight of its own wordiness. Conferences, conventions and commissions continue to grind out reams of paper with endless words. We bemoan, we bewail, we diagnose and prescribe. But all these are no substitute for actions and deeds of meaning. Certain historic moment call for action, and nothing else will do. When the Egyptians pursued the Israelites and apparently had them trapped with the sea in front of them, the Almighty said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel that they may go forward." [This verse]. This was a time neither for meditation nor for study. It was an occasion for deeds.

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EXOD203 See [[DEUT41]] Deuteronomy 2:30 hardened SPERO 245-6

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EXOD204 See [[EXOD115]] Exodus 7:5 destroyed SACKS 86

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EXOD205 The supernatural events that are already part of nature are more miraculous because they are part of the original blueprint. While the talmudic source only alludes to this idea, the Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 5:5 states openly that all of the supernatural miracles were implanted in nature during the first six days of creation. Thus, the natural miracle does indeed demonstrate God's prowess even more than supernatural miracles do. The Talmud Ta'anit 7a expresses this concept most emphatically when it says that the (natural) miracle of rain is greater than the (supernatural) miracle of the resurrection of the dead. This idea is also demonstrated through the supernatural events in the Bible itself. The most supernatural miracle in the Bible is, one could argue, the splitting of the Red Sea. And yet, this supernatural event is brought about through very natural means, as the Torah describes the east wind blowing the entire night prior to the onset of the splitting of the sea. The Sefer Hachinuch Mitzvah 132 explains that God's greatness is enhanced by performing supernatural miracles through natural means. Other supernatural miracles in the Torah are also brought about through natural means. Each day, millions of Jews in the desert were fed by the supernatural means of the manna, as bread came from heaven. Exodus 16:4 Yet, the manna appeared in a very natural way, between two layers of dew on the ground each morning. Numbers 11:9. The Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach 20 comments on this phenomenon that God purposely wanted to make a supernatural miracle (manna from Heaven) appear natural from the dew. Even at the end of the Torah, when God shows the entire land of Israel to Moses, God commands Moses to first go up to the mountain. Deuteronomy 32:49 It is clear that from Mount Nevo, the entire land cannot normally be seen and that God performed a supernatural miracle to allow Moses to see the entire land. Yet God asked Moses to go up to the mountain to see the land so that the supernatural miracle will appear to be brought about through natural means. Thus, in Judaism, contrary to the commonsense belief, natural miracles are considered greater and more miraculous than supernatural miracles.

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EXOD206 Faith must be a central concern to anyone who seeks the goals toward which Mussar directs. The target for a life well lived is summed up in the word wholeness (sh'lemut), about which Rabbi Shlomo Wolpe says: "We seek only our wholeness." Then he guides," The foundation of wholeness is faith." Alei Shur, vol. 2, 348. Without faith, wholeness will elude us.

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