[Avodah] proofs of G-d

[Richard Wolpoe]

On Nov 21, 2007 5:38 AM, Marty Bluke <marty.bluke at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Meshech Chochma( Shemos 13:9)writes:
>
> "Divine Providence is manifest for each Jew according to his spiritual
> level as the Rambam explains in Moreh Nevuchim (3:18): Divine
> Providence is not equal for everyone but rather is proportional to
> their spiritual level. Consequently the Divine Providence for the
> prophets is extremely powerful each according to their level of
> prophecy. The Divine Providence for the pious and saintly is according
> to their level of perfection. In contrast the fools and the rebels
> lacking spirituality are in essence in the same category as animals...
> This concept that Divine Providence is proportional to spiritual level
> is one of foundations of Judaism..."
>
> Today, this idea (that the Chinuch explicitly rejects) of hashgacha
> pratis on everything has taken hold. There is no question that it is a
> very calming thought. You don't have to worry about chance occurrences
> affecting you, everything is directly from Hashem. However, this was
> not the view of the overwhelming majority of the Rishonim.
>

Re: Moznay tzedek and Amaleik

At the end of parshas ki Seittzei there is the juxtaposition of Business
ethics and Amaleik.
Questions:

   1.  how does a failing of business ethics give Amaleik any power over
   us?
   2. Aren't there anti-Semites all of the time,  What's new about this
   situation.

Speaking to my congregration - conisting of many survivors of the Nazi
regime - I explained it thusly:
The normal/usual situatoin is that there are ALWAYS anti-Semites out theer.
BUT it is only when we fail to live up to the Torah standards of Business
Ethics that Hashem ALLOWS them power over us [kind of hester panim due to
our bad beahvior]

Simlarly Ya'kov avinu was promised safe passing by HKBH but was afraid of
"shema yigrom hacheit" But we know from Rambam et. al. that HKBH never takes
away a POSTIVE promise?  Shema yigrom might remove the higher level of
protection that was required. [e.g. vayhi chitas Elokim....]


L'havdil, many Evangelicals felt that 9-11 was a result of Hashem
withdrawing His usual protection of America due to America's mis-behavior.
So this idea of removing Protection in the face of Sin is a fiarly common
concept.




-- 
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
Please Visit:
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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