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My thoughts on Va'etchanan weekly Torah portion for "Rabbis for the Human Rights" (RHR) weekly newsletter:
“Do not try your God Yahweh, as you did at Massah.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)
As part of Moses’ concluding speeches and his pleas to enter the Land, he warns the people not to test God again, as they did in the Book of Numbers when the people complained of thirst. God commanded Moses to speak to the rock, but instead, he struck the rock with his staff. For this act of spiritual doubt, they were punished by being barred from entering the Land: “Adonoy said to Moshe and Aharon, ‘Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the presence of Bnei Yisroel; therefore, you will not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them’. They are the waters of dispute where Bnei Yisroel contended with Adonoy, and He was sanctified through them.” (Numbers 20:12–13)
From this, the Sages inferred a principle: in times of crisis and danger, a person or a nation might be tempted to summon miracles and supernatural forces to rescue them from distress. That is, whenever I face a serious problem, I could turn to higher powers to perform a miracle and save me. But based on the verse in our parasha, the Sages formulated the rule: “One must not rely on a miracle” (אין סומכין על הנס).
This principle appears in several places in the Talmud, for example:
Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 1:4: “…and not from the miracles that occurred in the Temple. Rabbi Abun said: because of the verse, ‘Do not test.’” Even though miracles used to occur in the Temple, the Sages ruled that the High Priest must restrict his diet the day before Yom Kippur, lest he become impure. We do not rely on miracles.
Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 32a: “A person should never stand in a place of danger saying, ‘A miracle will be performed for me,’ lest no miracle be done. And if a miracle is done—his merits are diminished.” Don’t enter danger assuming a miracle will save you.
Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 39b: “Those engaged in mitzvah missions are not harmed, neither on their way nor on their return. But [in the case] of a rickety ladder—where damage is likely—we do not rely on a miracle.” Even while fulfilling a commandment, if the means are dangerous (like a shaky ladder), we do not count on divine intervention.
The halachic rule “One must not rely on miracles” reflects a humanistic face of halacha. It emphasizes that human fate is in human hands. It is inappropriate to lean on the supernatural to escape danger one consciously chose to enter.
Although Hasidism developed the idea of “miracle workers”, about whom it was said, “A righteous person decrees, and the Holy One fulfills,” the Lithuanian (non-Hasidic) school opposed miracles. They taught the opposite: “The Holy One decrees, and the righteous person fulfills,” i.e., responsibility lies with the human being.
The Talmud also critiques miracle workers. For instance, in the stories of Honi the Circle-Maker, Honi speaks directly to God, causes rain, and controls its intensity. Yet he is ultimately criticized, and his story ends tragically. In one tale, when he meets a man planting a carob tree, his life ends because of his arrogance.
On October 7, we found ourselves in an emergency and danger not of our choosing. But almost two years have passed since the war was forced upon us. Today’s situation is no longer the same. Being in an ongoing war is a choice. A conscious decision to remain in danger. A deliberate refusal to end the war and bring back the hostages by diplomatic means.
A choice made by those in power.
A choice that brings continued devastation and risks a humanitarian disaster, perhaps in violation of international law.
A choice stemming from a belief that everything can be resolved through force, or worse—that this is a form of justified revenge.
It seems we are living in a time marked by the delusion that we are in a “miraculous era”—a time when everything is possible. October 7 and its victims are seen as part of a “miracle” that will bring victory over the axis of evil and the total destruction of our enemies. A true celebration...
But this call for a miracle is, in my opinion, utterly opposed to the idea of “One must not rely on miracles.”
Moses warns in our parasha because he knows the consequences of national hubris.
So the question arises: What are we to do today, especially in this time of hardship and sorrow?
Should we pray for a miracle for the hostages?
A miracle of victory in war?
Is it enough to call for a miracle?
Can we remain passive and wait?
Are we allowed to simply hope for something to change?
The answer is simple:
We do not rely on miracles.
We make an earthly, conscious decision to act through diplomacy,
to end the war,
to end the horrific daily bloodshed,
and to end the suffering on all sides.
First and foremost: bring back the hostages.
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Translation by RHR
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