Divine Providence and Human Initiative

Found 10 Search results

1. The Victory Over the Ai

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   At Jericho, the victory was God's alone. It was precipitated by His Ark, the symbol of His earthly throne, and resulted from the miraculous collapse of the city's fortifications. As aresult the spoils were prohibited. At the Ai, the groundwork for the undertaking that resulted in success was prepared by the twin components of Yehoshua's meticulous planning and the people's spirited struggle. While God in the end provided the critical catalyst for the victory, it was a triumph that belonged to all of Israel. Therefore, the spoils are also given over to them to stress the significance of THEIR initiative and to highlight THEIR involvement. 

2. Chapter 11: Divine Design and Human Initiative

   Rabbi Michael Hattin

   This lesson will trace the progression of Yehoshua’s battles, and examine the logic behind the order of conquests. We will compare the battle against the Kings of the North with the battle of Jericho, and the battle against the Kings of the South with the battle against Ai. As the wars progress, there is a notable decline in divine intervention, and an incline in human initiative and design.

3. I am Esau Your Firstborn - And Now, My Son, Listen to My Voice

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 35 minutes

   Rivka is often viewed as the heroine in the story of the blessings: she disguises Yaakov as Esav so that her younger son will receive Yitzchak's blessing. The problematic deception, and the ensuing separation, exile, and suffering point to another perspective in the story. Does Rivka's daring plan exemplify the importance of human initiative alongside Divine Providence, or is it a tragic mistake?

4. Rashi on the Tower of Babel: Limits of Human Capabilities

   Rabbi David Silverberg

5. Psalm 127: The Difference Between “In Vain” and “Tranquility”

   Part 2

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   It is not possible that it is the intention of the first two stanzas to nullify the value of man’s efforts to build his house and to protect the security of his city. It would be an offense both to common sense and to the prevailing biblical view that a person must exert effort for the sake of securing his own existence. Rather, man’s own efforts are a necessary but insufficient condition, and in the absence of God’s hidden involvement, man’s efforts will not attain their objective.

   The negative formulation utilized to teach this lesson indicates that the psalm is meant to serve as rebuke to people who act improperly and who believe that only through their own strength and might can they build themselves houses and cities, and ensure their own security and livelihood. 

6. Psalm 127: The Difference Between “In Vain” and “Tranquility”

   Part 3

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The building of a house lasts for a limited time. When the action is complete, the house stands firm, and its inhabitant has satisfied his existential need for shelter.

   The guarding of a city, in contrast, is an action that continues – every day and every night. However, this action is not one that every person engages in. The city guards are a small, defined group of people for whom guarding is a permanent, professional occupation. Furthermore, while guarding the city is unquestionably a position of great responsibility, it does not involve much physical effort.

   In a league of its own is the Sisyphean effort to make a living. This ongoing effort is the lot of every person, for all of his life. It requires that a person devote his days, from early in the morning until the evening, to hard work involving physical and mental exertion.

   Not only the relatively brief endeavors (such as building a house) or professional specializations (like guarding) whose success depends on Divine involvement and help, but also – and especially – the endeavor that is most characteristic of the human condition, and the most demanding: making a living.

7. Psalm 127: The Difference Between “In Vain” and “Tranquility”

   Part 4

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The classical commentators, along with most modern scholars, understand the word “shena” as though it ended with a ‘heh’ instead of an ‘alef’ – in other words, “sleep."  This interpretation serves to link this phrase with the preceding stanza, which spoke about people who arise early in the morning and settle to sleep late, all because of their work.  Thus the verse depicts a contrasting picture of God granting to “His beloved” the “sleep” that they need. However, these commentators introduce new difficulties – ideological and exegetical ones - into understanding the verse and the psalm.

8. Psalm 127: The Difference Between “In Vain” and “Tranquility”

   Part 5

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   A new interpretation of the word “shena” means the honor that God gives His beloved. In the context of the psalm, this should be understood as the success bestowed upon the efforts of God's beloved, in that he enjoys the fruits of his actions.

   Thus it follows that this difficult clause to understand is the key to the psalm, for it sets up a positive antithesis to the whole first part of the psalm. This clause clarifies that the lack of success described in stanzas 1-3 stems from the fact that the active characters in these three stanzas are not the beloved of God, and do not deserve that God should bestow success upon their efforts.

9. What has God Done to Us - or Were We Responsible

   Rabbi David Silverberg

10. Hizkiyahu, Prayer, and a Do-it-Yourself Approach

    Erev Shabbat Tazria-Metzora

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell

    תאריך פרסום: תש"ע | |

    Sanheriv, King of Assyria, is on the march and destroying large swaths of Yehuda.  He sends Ravshakeh to deliver a famous, demoralizing speech saying that Hizkiyahu and the people of Jerusalem have no reason to hope. We - and Hizkiyahu learn that to get something done right, one has to have personal responsibility and investment. We look at Hizkiyahu's response to this and to other events and learn messages about the significance of prayer - even prayer for onesself.