18 Insights from My Laptop Yissurin

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18 Insights from My Laptop Yissurin

My original plan was to write a blog post on Tehilim 92 as a follow-up to yesterday's How to Learn Tehilim post. As you can see, this didn't happen. 

Why not? Because I am a dumb-dumb.

This morning I sat at my laptop with my large mug of bullet-proof coffee - like I do every morning - and I began my daily summer blog routine. First I checked the blog itself to make sure that the scheduled post on Tehilim had gone up without any complications. Next I shared the post on Facebook - on my own pages, and in a large Torah discussion group. I was just about to start writing Tuesday's post when something unexpected happened. 

You know how every once in a while you take a gulp of some beverage and it goes down the wrong pipe and you choke? And you know how if it was a REALLY big gulp, then sometimes your tracheal reflex will cause you to "do a spit take" and and spray the liquid like the Dilophosaurus in Jurassic Park (1993)? 

Well, that's what happened to me and my coffee ... and my keyboard. 

The coffee went all over the left side of my laptop keyboard. I immediately got paper towels and mopped up the liquid on the surface. Next, I popped off the affected keys and soaked them in soapy water while cleaning the keyless keyboard with Q-tips and rubbing alcohol. Then I cut small pieces of paper into strips and shoved them under the key mechanisms to soak up as much liquid as a I could. Finally, I turned the laptop upside down (in a swift motion) and left it upside down to see if I could get the liquid to dry up. 

The good news is that it wasn't enough liquid to short out the circuit board. The bad news is that several of the keys malfunctioned. Whenever I pressed "1" or "q," it would type the character and then immediately backspace or page-down. When I pressed "a" it would type "a" and then act as though I right-clicked. My left Shift key acted like a Tab key and my right Shift key would type the letter "z" and my Windows key would type the letter "q" and the letter "z" does random things.

For the next hour I frantically and neurotically tried other methods of drying out any remaining liquid on the keyboard, which I could still see under the inaccessible parts of the plastic key mechanisms. Then I had to drive to work. 

As soon as I began my drive to work I recalled Chazal's statement in Berachos 5a: 

If a person sees that yissurin (afflictions) befall him, he should examine his actions, as it is stated: "Let us examine and analyze our ways, and we will return to Hashem" (Eichah 3:40).

I then recalled another statement from Chazal in Arachin 16b, in which they define what is considered "yissurim": 

Up to what point is something still considered "yissurin"? R' Elazar said: If a man had a garment tailored for him to wear and it doesn't fit him. Rebbi Zeira - and some say Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmeini - objected to this, saying: "More than this has been said. Even if he was to be served hot and it was served cold, or cold and it was served hot! And you require so much?!" Mar bar Ravina said: "Even if his shirt got turned inside out." Rava - and some say Rav Chisda, and some say Rebbi Yitzchak, and some say it was taught in a braisa - "Even if he put his hand into his pocket to take out three [coins] and he only grabbed two."

From this second Chazal we see that even petty annoyances and inconveniences qualify as yissurin. From the first Chazal we see that the proper response to yissurin is to examine your actions.

I realized that although the topic of "yissurin" is broad, deep, and fraught with machlokess, I think it's pretty safe to assume that my laptop malfunctioning would qualify as yissurin, and that this was an opportunity to analyze my actions. In fact, I realized that I had already started analyzing this morning's yissurin soon after it happened, before I even thought about Chazal's injunction to do so.

I decided that since this is something that has been on my mind all day, I figured I'd write up the fruits of my analysis as today's blog post. Some of these insights relate to ideas; others are more personal and particular. These thoughts are written in no particular order, since I can't recall the order in which they came to me.

Thought #1: My coffee-spitting started as Category #1 Ra but was ultimately a Category #2 Ra. Someday I need to write a full blog post on this, but here's the short version. The Rambam writes that there are three categories of ra (harm/evil/badness/loss/corruption/destruction) in the world: 

1. ra that is caused by the nature of the physical world
2. ra that is inflicted by one person on another, and 
3. ra that a person inflicts on himself, due to ignorance or foolishness

My choking on the coffee was a Category #1 ra, and there was nothing I could have done to prevent it. But two seconds before I sprayed the coffee, I sensed that this might happen and could have turned away from my computer screen, but I made a split-second decision not to, and as a result, I sprayed coffee on my keyboard. The situation I found myself in may not have been my fault, but it was my own overconfidence in my ability to swallow my coffee - in conscious defiance of my cough reflex - which led me to spray my keyboard.

Thought #2: Yay - I learned from last time! Unfortunately, this isn't the second time that a laptop of mine has been ruined by coffee. Three years ago I actually spilled coffee on my keyboard (due to actual negligence) and TOTALLY wrecked the entire laptop. As soon as I got a new one, I made a rule for myself to always rest the laptop on top of a book instead of keeping it directly on the table or desk. That way, if I ever spilled anything, it would damage the book and not the laptop. This morning, as I mopped up my coffee spray, I found myself reflecting on how happy I was that I implemented that precaution, since it saved my laptop from spill-induced destruction on two or three occasions during its lifetime. Did I screw up this time? Yes - but it was a different screw-up than last time, and I did learn from last time. And as long as I can still learn from my mistakes, then there is hope for the future.

Thought #3: I can't rush evaporation. There are two possibilities as to what has happened to my keyboard: either the malfunction is the result of actual damage, which means that this keyboard is toast, or the malfunction is the result of the effects of the current level of moisture, which would mean that there's hope that functionality will return when the moisture dries. This morning I found myself anxiously waiting for the moisture to dry, and I've been checking the laptop every 30 minutes or so since then. A great amount of the stress I feel stems from my lack of control over the evaporation of the moisture. I realize that deep down - or NOT so deep down! - I want to be able to control the speed of the evaporation. Obviously this is absurd, but stating the absurdity shows how childish my psyche can be.

Thought #4: Thank God for my hands and everything which makes them work. Even though my keyboard was messed up, I could still type - albeit slowly (since I needed to manually click with my mouse every time I typed an "a" or a "q," and I needed to use Caps Lock instead of shift). I take pride in my usual typing speed (99-101 words per minute last time I checked), and my pride changed to gratitude when I was forced to type slowly. I was reminded of the commentary of the Sefer ha'Menuchah on the berachah (blessing) of ha'meichin mitzadei gaver ("Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who readies the footsteps of man"). He explained that this berachah is an acknowledgement of the chochmas Hashem (God's wisdom) that is manifest in the design of the human foot: it's soft enough to be able to feel what you're stepping on, yet hard enough to endure walking, while having a structure that enables us to balance, and enough "podexterity" (read: dexterity of the foot) to be able to manipulate objects with one's toes, etc. The same is true for the hands, even though there is no berachah on them. I realized how much I take it for granted that I'm able to just THINK a sentence and suddenly see it typed on the screen - an activity which utilizes my brain, the rest of my nervous system, and my musculoskeletal system, all of which reflects tremendous chochmas Hashem. I just didn't really think about it until I was impeded in my normal activity. Sometimes you only appreciate what you have when you no longer have it. (Full disclosure: I did NOT lose my hands - just my ability to use them to type quickly.)

Thought #5: Mishlei helps SOOO much! Shlomo ha'Melech writes about Mishlei: "When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge become pleasant to your soul, [a wise] design will watch over you [and] understanding will safeguard you" (Mishlei 2:10-11). If I recall correctly from the last time I learned this, the idea is that the more you learn and internalize the Mishleic way of thinking, the more you'll find that there are "automated Mishleic benefits" which accrue to you without any effort on your part. I found myself comparing this laptop disaster to my previous one three years ago. That time I got upset and angry at myself and found myself with a need to complain about it. This time, I was annoyed and a bit stressed out, but I was also much more level-headed and stoic (or Stoic) about my situation - and I wasn't angry. This difference in my reaction is difficult to precisely capture in words. Suffice it to say, I noticed that even a couple of years of learning Mishlei can go a long way in changing one's response to yissurin. 

Thought #6: Yay - my priorities are in order! As soon as I realized that my laptop use was compromised, the first thing I thought about was, "Oh no - how am I going to write tomorrow's blog post in time?" My next thought was, "Oh no - my grades are due, and I need time to write end-of-the-year comments on students' report cards. How am I going to do this if I'm not able to type? If I write shorter comments, my students will get less feedback, and that isn't right!" It wasn't until a full 30 minutes later that I thought to myself, "Oh no - is this going to jeopardize the ways I use my laptop for entertainment purposes?" And then I rejoiced over the fact that I didn't even think about using my laptop for entertainment until LONG after I thought about how I needed it for more substantial reasons. I was happy that I had my priorities straight. 

Thought #7: Tefilah works. I've made it a point to add a bakashah (request) about my laptop in my tefilos today. As I've written about in the past, the process of formulating a bakashah activates and actualizes many of the objectives of tefilah. Doing so this morning helped me to recognize my place in the universe - that I am a physical being with physical possessions in a world fraught with physical imperfections, reliant upon the beneficence of the One non-physical Creator. It helped me to come to terms with the fact that there are things which are in my control which I can change, and things that are beyond my control which I cannot change. It helped me to be thankful for all of the good I have received, and to recognize that this good far outweighs this exceedingly minor inconvenience. All of this made me thankful for the mitzvah of tefilah, without which I would not have arrived at many of the thoughts in this post.

Thought #8: Thank God my yissurin wasn't something worse. We're talking about a couple of malfunctioning keys on a laptop, which is NOTHING compared to other yissurin that could have happened. Although I've had struggles, obstacles, and tragedies in my life - along with "days of darkness [which] are many" (Koheles 11:8) - my life is GOOD, on the whole. I'm healthy and happy; I have my dream job during the year (teaching) and my dream hobby during the summer (writing); I have so many amazing friends, teachers, colleagues, students, and family members with whom I get to interact with on a regular basis; I have Judaism, Torah, and learning; and I live at a time and in a place in which many of the raos in category #1 and 2 have been greatly diminished. The incident this morning? It was nothing - NOTHING! - relative to the amount of goodness I have received. It's not like I got diagnosed with an illness, or got into a car accident, or lost a loved one. In the grand scheme of things, this is absolutely nothing. As we say in Birkas ha'Gomel: "Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who bestows good to those who are liable [for punishment], Who has bestowed me with all good."

Thought #9: Thank God I can afford another laptop. Would another laptop be expensive? Yes. Do I make a ton of money? No. Would this unplanned expense deplete funds which I had planned on saving? Yes. But here's the thing: I CAN afford another laptop. This will not jeopardize my ability to pay rent, buy gas, or have food to eat. The realization that some people in my situation would NOT be able to afford another laptop made me thankful for what I have. There are many others who, upon breaking their laptop, simply wouldn't be able to buy a replacement.

Thought #10: Thank God I was able to own a laptop in the first place. This is similar to the previous one, but stands as its own hodaah (thanksgiving). There are many people who aren't even fortunate enough to have a laptop to break! 

Thought #11: Thank God I live in a place and at a time when I can get a new laptop within hours. I can literally order a laptop online or drive to an electronics store and get a new laptop with virtually no wait. This actually occurred to me when I thought about the possibility that I might have to send in my laptop to get fixed. Once I thought of that, I said, "No way! If I had to give up my laptop for even a week, I'd just buy a new one." This made me realize how spoiled I am by living in this first world country. I don't EVEN have to suffer through the yissurin of impatience.

Thought #12: Thank God I have friends who know their way around computers. One of my friends - who also happens to be a colleague at work - is a computer guy, and offered to surgically open up my laptop to see whether the damage I did was permanent or temporary. 

Thought #13: Thank God I was able to borrow a laptop from my school! The aforementioned friend of mine suggested that I get permission from The Keeper of Laptops at my school to borrow a laptop until I resolve my issues. Once I got that permission, I breathed a sigh of relief. At LEAST I'll be able to keep up my blogging schedule, even if the damage I did was permanent. (That's how I was able to write this blog post, in case you're wondering.) Thank God she gave me permission - and that we have spare laptops to be borrowed by teachers who need them!

Thought #14: Apparently, I punish my inanimate objects. I noticed something when I went to get a drink (away from my laptop) just now: I didn't put water and soap in my coffee mug after breakfast this morning. I must emphasize how unusual this is. Every morning when I'm done with my coffee I either fill my mug with soap and hot water, or I wash it completely. I just noticed - now, in the afternoon - that I just left my mug in the sink this morning without any soap or water. My guess is that this is my psyche's attempt to "punish" my cup for this morning's incident. This just shows how far my unconscious will go to deflect the blame from my own stupidity.

Thought #15: Things don't have to go my way. For the rest of the day I was HYPER-aware of all the things that might not go as I planned. Was I going to spill something else on my coffee? Was I going to drop my phone? Was I going to cut my finger when preparing dinner? Was I going to get into a car accident? Somehow, my little mishap in the morning made me realize how much I take it for granted when planning to do an action, that the intended outcome will actually occur. "Many are the thoughts of man, but the counsel of Hashem will prevail" (Mishlei 19:21). 

Thought #16: "Teshuvah thoughts." When Chazal said that a person who suffered yissurin should "analyze his actions," they were referring primarily to a teshuvah-centered analysis. Although most of the thoughts listed here aren't specifically teshuvah based, I did have my share of teshuvah thoughts. I don't really feel comfortable spelling them out here. I just wanted to acknowledge their existence.

Thought #17: Thank God for Judaism! ALL of these thoughts and insights were only made possible because of the framework of Torah in which I have lived since I became a Jew nearly 18 years ago. Had my life taken a different path, I still might have sprayed coffee on my laptop, but everything about my reaction would have been different. I certainly wouldn't have associated to the two statements of Chazal which prompted me to analyze my actions, and I wouldn't have had all of these thoughts, or had such an equanimous response.

Thought #18: My yissurin made me happy! At some point in the (probably) distant future, I'll write up a series of blog posts about Iyov - including "The Answer" to the question of tzadik v'ra lo and rasha v'tov lo. I'm not going to even allude to what the answer is here. I will, however, say that the Rambam writes about this answer:

If man knows this, all yissurin will be borne lightly by him, and misfortunes will not add to his doubts regarding Hashem and whether He does or does not know and whether He exercises hashgachah (providence) or manifests neglect. To the contrary, they (i.e. the yissurin) will increase his love [of Hashem], as is said in the conclusion of the prophetic revelation in this book: "therefore I abhor [my former thoughts], and I regret dust and ashes" (Iyov 42:6). As the Sages of blessed memory have spoken about: "those who do out of love and are joyful in yissurin" (Talmud Bavli 88b).

Let me be clear: I am NOT, in any way, equating my laptop malfunction with Iyov losing his property, his children, and his health. At the same time, I can see - on my small, wimpy, "first world problems" scale of yissurin - how it is possible for yissurin to not be experienced as a tragic misfortune, but as an opportunity to increase one's love of Hashem. Moreover, I have partaken of the joy that can come from the insights yielded by these small yissurin. I know that even a small insight like this can act as a seed which will develop into a fruitful tree that continues yielding its produce for years and decades to come. That alone is worth the price of a new laptop.

There may have been more insights I had on my drive to work, and there may be more yet. But all of this just goes to show how much more productive the Torah's prescribed response to yissurin is, compared to the standard response of griping, complaining, and getting mad at God or the universe. 

Even though this particular yissurin didn't happen to you, that you were still able to gain from the perspective I articulated in this post.

Ralbag: A Statement About Rasha v'Tov Lo

Ralbag: A Statement About Rasha v'Tov Lo

Sefer Iyov deals with the question of tzadik v'ra lo (a.k.a. Why do bad things happen to good people?) and rasha v'tov lo (a.k.a. Why do good things happen to bad people?). 

The answer to these two questions is "longer than the earth and wider than the sea" (Iyov 11:9), and I wouldn't dare attempt to answer either question in a single blog post. That is why I have titled this "A Statement About Rasha v'Tov Lo." It is not by any means a full answer to the problem of rasha v'tov lo. It is merely a piece of the puzzle - albeit an important one.

This blog post was inspired by Charles Schulz's Peanuts cartoon shown above. Charlie Brown observes that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust," and Linus remarks, "That's a good system." 

Upon reading this comic I was reminded of an excerpt from the Ralbag's commentary on Sefer Iyov.  [1] After stating his theory on divine providence (which I will not attempt to summarize here), the Ralbag responds to an objection one might make based on the "inequitable" (i.e. unfair) distribution of goods and evils in the world:

Nor does the inequitable distribution of goods and evils among individual men invalidate our theory, as is evident. For on our theory, it does not follow that it is impossible for sinners to receive benefits that are determined by the laws of nature. Indeed, we do maintain that they are left and abandoned to those accidents that are ordered by the laws of nature and that they are not protected by God from the evils that are to befall them, for they are not at the level of perfection such that this [kind] of divine providence could extend to them. 

In other words, since sinners are abandoned to the laws of nature, it is entirely possible that they will receive the benefits that accrue from these laws - just as they will suffer the natural harms that befall them. He then goes on to explain how this is in line with Hashem's justice: 

That the occurrence of benefits to sinners through the laws of nature is not an evil can be shown as follows. These benefits received by sinners are due to hashgachah klalis (the laws of nature), i.e. are from those patterns that are concerned with man as a species. Therefore, the benefits they receive result from the fact that they are born at a time when the natural forces are in that position which determines that condition; these benefits do not occur because these people are sinners.

It is clear that it is inappropriate for God (may he be blessed) to refrain from providing for the human species by means of this type of providential care, which is necessary for the preservation of the human species, because of the sinners that might exist at that specific time. It would be a moral defect, however, if benefits would accrue to them because of their sins or because of their individual natures.

 

And just as it would be inappropriate to say that the divine providence exhibited in the divine creation in man of many organs for his preservation (to the utmost degree that is possible) is an evil because this beneficence extends to the sinners despite their debauchery, so too, would it be improper to say that the benefits received by the sinners from the patterns determined by the heavenly bodies constitute an evil. For it is not proper for God (may He be blessed) to refrain from providing for the human species in a general way because of the sinners that might exist. Moreover, it is the nature of God (may He be blessed) to bestow benefits upon existing things as far as this is possible.

 

In short, just as it is not a moral defect [in God] for non-rational animals, even wild ones, to [enjoy] food and [other] pleasures, so too, it is not a moral defect [in God] if these imaginary benefits are found among sinners, whose level of perfection is comparable to that of the wild animal. 

To summarize: Hashem bestows benefits to all of His creatures through the laws of nature. The fact that sinners and evildoers enjoy these benefits is no more unjust than the fact that they receive the benefits of their bodily systems – or the fact that animals enjoy bodily pleasures.

As I said at the beginning of this post, this excerpt from the Ralbag is not meant to fully answer the questions of tzadik v'ra lo and rasha v'tov lo. It is merely an additional piece of the puzzle which brings us one step closer to grasping the fundamental insight of Sefer Iyov "'that My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways' - saith Hashem" (Yeshayahu 55:8).

[1] Unfortunately, I only have my English translation of this excerpt on my computer. Try as I might, I cannot seem to locate where I found this excerpt in his actual commentary, so I cannot cite a specific source. When I manage to find it, I will cite the exact location. My apologies. 

The Eleventh Plague

Originally published in April 2012. Click here for a printer-friendly version of this blog post.

Artwork: Necrotic Plague, by Jaime Jones

The Eleventh Plague

Towards the end of the Arami Oved Avi section of the Hagadah, we encounter a somewhat puzzling drashah:

With a strong hand – this refers to the dever (pestilence), as it is stated: “Behold! – the hand of Hashem shall strike your cattle which are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks – a very severe pestilence” (Shemos 9:3).

According to the plain pshat, as seemingly indicated by the pasuk cited in the Hagadah, this is a reference to makkas dever: the plague of pestilence that killed the Egyptian livestock, which was the fifth of the ten makkos.

In this post we would like to take up two questions: 

1. Why does the Hagadah single out dever from among the other makkos? There are only two other drashos which mention specific makkos: the first drashah in this set, which references makkas bechoros (the death of the firstborns), and the last drashah in this set, which references makkas dahm (blood). We but why does the Hagadah then backtrack to dever, which was a "lesser" makkah and chronologically preceded makkas bechoros?
2. What essential idea of Yetzias Mitzrayim does this drashah express? I am working with the premise that since we are telling our sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim (the account of the Exodus from Egypt) through these drashos, then each of these drashahos must convey an essential idea about Yetzias Mitzrayim. What fundamental idea is expressed here? 

The most intriguing explanation I've encountered from the Rishonim is that of the Orchos Chayim, in his commentary on the Hagadah:

The explanation of this is as follows: this refers not only to the livestock disease, but to the human epidemic as well, for there wasn't a single one of the makkos that was not accompanied by an epidemic, as it is stated, "Behold, I will smite all of your borders" (Shemos 7:27); "Only this death" (ibid. 10:17); "all of My plagues" (ibid. 9:14). This was expressed through the term "hand," as it is written: "Behold, the hand of Hashem is upon etc."

According to the Orchos Chayim, the drashah in the Haggadah does not refer exclusively to livestock disease, which was but one of the ten makkos. Rather, it refers to the human epidemic which accompanied all of the other makkos. This makkah is only alluded to in the pesukim, never discussed openly (which is one of the reasons why you may never have heard of it). Other midrashim make reference to this dever as well. For instance, Shemos Rabbah 10:2 says:

R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: [in] every makkah that was visited upon the Egyptians, a contagion crept along with it, as it is said, "Behold, I will smite" - and the word "behold" refers to the epidemic, as it says: "Behold, the hand of Hashem is upon your cattle."

This answers our first question: Why does the Hagadah single out dever from among the other makkos? The answer is: It doesn't! The Hagadah is not referring to the makkah of dever per se, but to the "background makkah" of human disease. 

This raises a new question: What was the purpose of this human epidemic? Weren't the ten makkos enough? Furthermore, the Torah itself seems to support the idea that the other makkos were primary, since the narrative explicitly recounts the ten makkos but only alludes to the "background dever." Also, we still haven't answered our second original question: What essential idea of Yetzias Mitzrayim does this drashah teach us?

I believe the clue which will allow us to answer these questions is contained in the first chapters of Sefer Iyov. The story of Iyov begins with a description of Iyov as "wholesome and upright, he feared God and shunned evil." He had a large and happy family and was "the wealthiest man of all the people in the east." One day, the satan posed a challenge to Hashem, saying:

"Is it for nothing that Iyov fears God? Have You not set a protective wall about him, about his household, and about everything he owns from all around? You have blessed his handiwork, and his livestock have spread throughout the land. But send forth Your hand and touch everything that is his, [and see] if he does not blaspheme You to Your face" (Iyov 1:9-11).

Hashem accepts the challenge (so to speak) and grants the satan dominion over all of Iyov's property on the one condition: "do not send forth your hand against his [person]!" (ibid. 12). The satan goes forth and, in a single day, destroys Iyov's wealth, servants, and children. In spite of all the loss, Iyov remains steadfast in his acceptance of Hashem's decree. Hashem points this out to the satan, but the satan replies:

"Skin for the sake of skin! Whatever a man has he would give up for his life! But send forth Your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and surely he will blaspheme You to Your face!" (ibid. 2:4-5).

Hashem grants the satan permission to afflict Iyov's body:

The Satan departed from the presence of Hashem and afflicted Iyov with severe boils, from the soles of his feat to the top of his head. He took a potsherd to scratch himself with, and he sat amid the ashes (ibid. 2:7-8).

At first, Iyov didn't give in - at least, not in his outward speech or actions. "Despite everything, Iyov did not sin with his lips" (ibid. 10) - though, as Chazal teach, he did sin in his heart, even though he didn't express it. Finally, when his friends come to visit him, after sitting in silence for seven days and seven nights, "Iyov opened his mouth and cursed his day" (ibid. 14).

Without going into the whole psychology of Iyov, one thing is clear: his bodily afflictions pushed him over the edge, to the point where questioned his metaphysical premises. He was able to maintain a certain view of hashgachas Hashem (Divine providence) in spite of the destruction of his property and the loss of his children, but once Hashem afflicted his body, Iyov could not longer uphold his original beliefs. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he was able to admit to himself what he truly thought and felt about Hashem and His Divine justice. Only then was Iyov able to commence his inquiry into Hashem's justice.

The ten makkos were not merely a means of liberating Bnei Yisrael from Egypt. Rather, the makkos were designed to teach the Egyptians a set of core ideas about Hashem. The pesukim emphasize the educational character of the makkos again and again: 

• "and Egypt will know that I am Hashem" (Shemos 7:5) 
• "with this shall you know that I am Hashem" (ibid. 7:17) 
• "in order that you shall know that there is none like Hashem, our God" (ibid. 8:6) 
• "in order that you shall know that I am Hashem, in the midst of the land" (ibid. 8:18) 
• "so that you shall know that there is none like Me in all the land" (ibid. 9:14)
• "in order to show you My power, and in order that My Name will be proclaimed throughout the entire land" (ibid. 9:16) 
• "in order that you shall know that the earth is Hashem's" (ibid. 9:29) 
• "so that you shall tell in the ears of your son and your grandson . . . and they shall know that I am Hashem" (ibid. 10:2) 

The purpose of the makkos was to uproot the entire belief system of Egypt and to establish the revolutionary new worldview of Malchus Hashem. But no matter how miraculous, terrifying, and life-disrupting the makkos were, it would still be possible for an Egyptian to uphold his inner resistances and to deflect the lessons that the makkos were designed to instill. Just as Iyov remained staunch in his beliefs in spite of the Divinely ordained destruction of everything he held dear, so too, it would have been possible for the Egyptians to cling to their beliefs, even as Egypt was destroyed all around them.

Herein lies the purpose of the "other dever," perhaps. Each one of the ten makkos was accompanied by a human epidemic. This dever dealt a blow to the physical well-being of the Egyptians, thereby rendering them receptive to the curriculum of the makkos. Iyov was able to persist in his stubbornness, but as soon as his very flesh was attacked, his mind became free to question and contemplate the implications of his suffering. Ultimately, this investigation brought him to a true understanding of Hashem's relationship with mankind. Likewise, the presence of this human epidemic with each and every makkah effectively broke down the Egyptians' resistances to pondering the makkos and enabled the ideas to penetrate their minds.

Perhaps this idea is essential to sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim because it shows a fundamental idea about Hashem's punishments, namely, that they are not vindictive, but are for the good of humanity. "Do I desire at all the death of the wicked - the word of Hashem/Elokim? Is it not rather his return from his ways, that he may live?" (Yechezkel 18:23). In the case of Yetzias Mitzrayim, it is true that Hashem orchestrated the makkos in order to redeem Bnei Yisrael, as He promised to Avraham Avinu. Nevertheless, the makkos were also designed to enlighten the dark society of Egypt and to help them do teshuvah from their moral waywardness and metaphysical errors. The fact that Hashem provided a human epidemic to accompany the makkos in order to facilitate this teshuvah. Thus, by focusing on the human epidemic, we are recognizing yet another dimension of chesed Hashem - His kindness towards all of His creations.

Malbim: On Hashgachas Hashem and Human Responsibility (2 of 2)

If you haven't read Malbim: On Hashgachas Hashem and Human Responsibility (Part 1), you are advised to do so before proceeding. It would also be prudent to review the pesukim on which the Malbim will be commenting, as well as the disclaimer, which applies here as well.

Artwork: Eyes in the Skies, by James Rhyman

Having established a framework for understanding reward and punishment and their relationship to individual and societal suffering, the Malbim goes on to explain how this principle sheds light* on the question of "rasha v'tov lo" (i.e. a wicked person who prospers). The Malbim writes:

On the basis of this argument, the question that Iyov asked in chapter 24 is completely upended. [Iyov asked:] “Aren’t there are wicked men who destroy civil society, such as pirates on the seas and robbers in deserts who kill wantonly and destroy the world? Why doesn’t God destroy them and remove their evil from the world?” The answer to this question is now clear:  

(9) “People will unite in the face of oppression.” Isn't it clear that Hashem arranged for the correction of this problem within the nature of man himself? Hashem providentially supplied all living creatures with the tools and faculties necessary to protect themselves from their enemies, in order to maintain their species and individuals. This providence certainly extended to man, the choicest of creations. [Hashem did this] by creating man to be a social animal. He implanted in man's nature the ability to form societies, to institute righteous laws and rules, and to enforce lawfulness and justice all who violate the statutes and rules [of the society], thereby eradicating all evildoers from the land. 

Thus, if the majority of people are good and love justice and righteousness, it will be impossible for robbers and murderers to multiply and destroy civil society. The good people of the nation, who constitute the majority, would immediately rise up to destroy these predators and banish them from the earth. It would not be necessary for God Himself to descend from on high to do battle with these destroyers, since – in bringing them to justice – all righteous human beings are the agents by which He enacts justice. The people of society will gather together as one, with their judges at their head, to destroy and banish the evildoers. 

This is the meaning of the statement: “People will unite in the face of oppression.” Isn't it clear that Hashem implanted within man’s nature the ability to unite as a society and “cry out to be rescued from the oppressors’ strong hand”? The people of the land, who will outnumber those who oppress and murder, can assemble and cry out for deliverance from these oppressors, who will be the minority among the population at large, and destroy them. 

It is in this sense that Hashem providentially arranged for man to protect himself against oppressors and predators by enabling society at large to annihilate these destroyers. 

Artwork: Fable of Wolf and Owl, by Heather Hudson.

According to the Malbim, the next few pesukim show that although this hashgachah extends to all species, though it is specialized in the case of man.

(10) [God actually grants these protective measures to all His creatures.] Even to the bird, “He grants nightly song.” These are weak birds whose nature, as implanted by Hashem, is to sing at night. Because of their fear of nocturnal predators, they sing at night to alert each other to gather together and fight for their lives if a predator comes among them. They sing in order to warn one another about the threats that the night brings. In this way, they can protect themselves and preserve their species, such that “No [bird] inquires, 'Where is God, my Maker?'” In other words, [it would be false to say that such a bird] isn't under the providence of Hashem, its maker, since as He created it weak and vulnerable to be preyed upon by the stronger predators. In truth, Hashem’s providence did extend to this bird, insofar as He created it in a manner whereby it can be protected from those who seek to harm it. And if Hashem, in His providence, arranged such protection in the nature of lowly creatures – by granting them the ability to call out and be saved from oppression by taking a stand against their oppressors, and to do battle with the predatory animals – then He certainly providentially arranged [protection] for man in this manner. 

(11) Therefore, “Let us learn from the beasts of the field.” Since God conferred on mankind greater wisdom than that which was given to beasts and birds, how can man say, “Where is God, my Maker? God does not watch over me and protect me from predators and oppressors”? On the contrary, Hashem has most certainly extended His Divine Providence to the human species in an even more elevated fashion. Human beings can increase their wisdom by studying the nature of all living things, integrating the lessons learned from all of them into their own intelligence. This is what was meant by the statement: “Let us learn from the beasts of the field” – man should learn from their behavior patterns what he must do to preserve his own numbers and protect his own species. Therefore, mankind should gather together and stand united to defend their lives against the robbers and murderers who are out to destroy them. And when a predator comes among them, they, too, should “sing out in the night.” 

Artwork: Rise of Eagles, by Noah Bradley

Our excerpt from the Malbim concludes with an answer* to the question, "Why does Hashem allow evildoers to prosper? Why doesn't He destroy them?" 

(12) On the basis of this principle, you will find an answer to your question, namely, that “there people will cry out and [God] will not answer them.” Iyov made this statement in chapter 24: “The groans of the people rise up from the city, and the spirits of the slain cry out for deliverance – yet God finds no fault with the wicked!” (Iyov 24:12). Murderous assassins wreak havoc in the city and cause the deaths of so many people – whose spirits then cry out to God, as it says right there, “The spirits of the slain cry out for deliverance” – that they cry out to God for salvation. So why doesn't God answer them and hold guilty those who are responsible? 

The answer is: “because the wicked have grown so in strength” – because the wicked have overwhelmed the righteous with their intensity and strength. This is a sign that the majority of society is wicked and doesn't strive to execute judgment and banish those who do evil. Otherwise, the wicked would not have been allowed to become powerful enough to attack the city and kill the people there, and then those who were being oppressed would attempt to escape the strong hand [of the wicked] by crying out for deliverance. The greater majority [of the society] would have gathered together in great numbers to hasten to the rescue of those who were being oppressed and banish the evildoers. Therefore, this matter [of insuring the protection of the weak against the strong] is a responsibility incumbent upon society itself – not upon Hashem. 

(13) Consequently, “it is false” and vain for you to interpret these events to mean “that [God] does not hear” the cries of the oppressed “and that the Almighty does not see them” that He doesn't providentially supervise them and that He doesn't see the evil of the oppressors. [Such an interpretation] is false and deceitful, for Hashem hears and sees everything that happens on earth. 

(14) “Even though you say that you cannot perceive [Divine Providence]” – even though you say that you cannot perceive or see with your own eyes how Hashem providentially arranges for justice on behalf of the oppressed – the truth is that “there is judgment before Him.” God has indeed established a mechanism for justice to be executed in this world, and “you were created to implement it.” You [mankind] were created to be the agents of Divine Providence and to carry out these judgments when it comes to the robbing of the poor and the murder of the indigent. This means that upon your creation, the potential for eradicating evil from the land and providing justice for the oppressed was implanted in your nature. This enables you to battle and overcome those who breach laws and oppose peace. 

In summation: It is our responsibility - not Hashem's - to form righteous societies and to defend the weak against the evildoers who threaten them. Hashem endowed man with the intelligence to understand justice and the innate drive to create societies with laws to enforce it. Moreover, He gave us His Torah, which contains everything we need to accomplish this task. The question we must ask ourselves is: What is stopping us? 

* DISCLAIMER: You are about to read an excerpt from the Malbim's commentary on Sefer Iyov about the nature of reward and punishment. Sefer Iyov is 42 chapters long, and this excerpt represents only a fraction of the total picture. Thus, what you are about to read should NOT be taken as the "be-all and end-all" on the topics of reward and punishment, hashgachah pratis, and God's justice. There are many aspects of these topics which the Malbim does not address, and many questions which cannot be answered on the basis of these concepts alone. While it might be tempting to attempt to build an entire worldview based on the ideas set forth here, such an endeavor would be flawed from its inception. Think responsibly.

Malbim: On Hashgachas Hashem and Human Responsibility (1 of 2)

This year I learned and taught Sefer Iyov (the Book of Job) for the first time. I immediately became hooked on the Malbim's commentary, and relied heavily upon it to guide my learning (though I switched to the Rambam for the conclusion of the sefer). The Malbim, takes every word seriously, as is his style. He expresses his ideas clearly and explicitly, leaving no room for ambiguity. 

Although I found many insights in the words of the Malbim, one portion of his commentary stood out to my mind so fundamental and so eye-opening that I knew I had to share it . But I was apprehensive. Sefer Iyov is "longer in measure than the earth and wider than the sea" (Iyov 11:9). It should be learned in the manner of embarking on a journey - not as one browses postcards in a gift shop. I worried that by presenting this excerpt of the Malbim's commentary without the foundation and context of the rest of Sefer Iyov, one might be led to false conclusions. 

In the end, I decided that it was worth sharing, in spite of this risk. Think of this as a catalyst for further inquiry, not as a comprehensive treatment of the topic. To be safe, I decided to begin with this disclaimer:

DISCLAIMER:

You are about to read an excerpt from the Malbim's commentary on Sefer Iyov about the nature of reward and punishment. Sefer Iyov is 42 chapters long, and this excerpt represents only a fraction of the total picture. Thus, what you are about to read should NOT be taken as the "be-all and end-all" on the topics of reward and punishment, hashgachah pratis, and God's justice. There are many aspects of these topics which the Malbim does not address, and many questions which cannot be answered on the basis of these concepts alone. While it might be tempting to attempt to build an entire worldview based on the ideas set forth here, such an endeavor would be flawed from its inception. Think responsibly. 

I hope that message was loud enough and clear enough. Without further ado, let us proceed with the Malbim. Due to the length of the excerpt, I've decided to split it into several parts. 

We'll begin with the pesukim which the Malbim will be explaining. Part 1 will only cover his commentary on the first pasuk. 

Iyov 35:8-14: (8) Your wickedness injures only someone like yourself, and your righteousness is helpful only to another human being. (9) People will unite in the face of oppression, and they will cry out to be rescued from the oppressor's strong hand. (10) No [bird] inquires, “Where is God, my Maker?” who grants them nightly song [for their protection]. (11) Let us learn from the beasts of the field and gain wisdom from the birds of heaven. (12) There people will cry out, and [God] will not answer them because the wicked have grown so in strength. (13) But it is false to claim that [God] does not hear and that the Almighty does not see them. (14) Even though you say that you cannot perceive [Divine Providence], there is judgment before Him and you were created to implement it.

From here on out is the commentary of the Malbim, which speaks for itself. The paragraph divisions and emphasis in bold are my own: 

Malbim on Iyov 35:8: Your wickedness injures only someone like yourself. The wickedness that you commit that harms others only injures another human being like yourself [but does not affect God at all]. Similarly, the evil that man does to himself is damaging only to him. In the same vein, your righteousness is helpful only to another human being. That being said, how can you seek out [extrinsic] reward from Hashem for this, or [request] that He intervene in the particulars mete out punishment to the rasha? [To demand this would be] to suggest that [man’s actions] benefit Him or harm Him. 

This may be compared to the following: an ill patient doesn't seek out a reward from his physician [in payment] for obeying his instructions to safeguard his health, nor does the physician punish the patient if he fails to heed his warnings, for the reward and punishment are consequent upon the action itself. If he obeys [the physician’s instructions], he will be healed from his sickness, and that is his reward. If he doesn't obey, he will die, and that is his punishment. [This reward and punishment are not meted out] by the physician, but by [the patient] himself.  

Similarly, the reward [for good actions] is the good path itself, since he acquires perfection of his soul [by following it]; and if he does good for others, he will enjoy benefits from the society [in which he lives]. Conversely, “one who does evil corrupts his soul and his flesh” (Mishlei 11:17), and if he does evil to others, he will suffer from the wickedness of the society.  

The reason for this is because Hashem created man to be social, by nature, and [He intended] that the people of a society should help each other to attain their needs, and that they should have societal regulations and righteous laws to protect the community from all evil. If all people in the community join together to do goodness and kindness to their fellows, and take care not to harm each other in any way, and to diligently execute justice to all who violate these regulations – then everyone will live in peace and prosperity and no societal harm will befall any individual. The same is true for the species as a whole: if it is founded on righteous statutes and laws, then all of its individual members will be protected from every evil and harm, and its members would help each other [to attain their needs].  

But if all of them behave like wolves and agree to [follow] wicked laws [which enable] oppression and violence, then each [member of the society] will [consequently] be subject to wickedness. They will not be safe from the robber and the violent oppressor for even a moment. “Their lives will hang in the balance” (cf. Devarim 28:66) from the threat of their enemies, the perversion of justice, and the threat of murder. They will be like the fish of the sea, where each individual is swallowed alive by its neighbor.  

Hashem arranged the creation of man in such a way that reward and punishment are embedded in nature, both with regard to the individual and with regard to the preservation of the society. With regard to the individual: if a person follows the path to [true] happiness with proper ethical conduct and control of his lusts, and the like, then he will naturally enjoy a happy physical existence. And [if he lives in the] opposite manner, he will naturally suffer harm: “for the guzzler and the gorger will be poor, and slumber will clothe you in rags” (Mishlei 23:21), and “the lust of the lazy person will kill him” (ibid. 21:25); “for anger will annihilate the fool” (Iyov 5:2) and “envy causes bones to rot” (Mishlei 14:30), and “sharp wounds purge evil” (ibid. 20:30). And if an individual indulges in pleasure to excess, he will become seriously ill, “for the harlot will kill many a strong man” (cf. Mishlei 7:26). The same is true of one who sins against his society – the members of his society will come to exact justice, and the zealous will be the first to strike him. And the opposite with the opposite (i.e. the person who treats the members of his society well will receive reciprocal kindness from them).

I hope, after reading just one part of the Malbim's commentary here, that you can see what I mean about being "fundamental" and "eye-opening." Stay tuned for the continuation of this post, which I will try to post on the 17th of Tammuz.