Encountering God in the Modern World Tzvia Rubens, CJHS 2011

Tzvia Rubens, CJHS 2011

Today, we seem to experience God, not through plagues and miracles but prayer and obedience of the halachot. How then, can we rectify the discourse of being in a relationship with a God who has seemingly removed any indicators of supernatural interferences?

Exodus 14:21 reads:

This verse uses descriptive imagery to help bring this passage to life. Moses stretches out his arm; eastern winds drive back the waters of the sea, revealing the seabed below. The miracle of all miracles. Just when the Hebrews thought that they were trapped between the water and the Pharaoh’s chariots, Adonai once more demonstrates the strength of the ETERNAL and provides yet another miracle.

Rabbi Bradley Artson from Ziegler Rabbinical Schol writes about the transition of miracles of biblical proportions to today’s modern examples of divine intervention. He explains how we, as Benai Yisrael, are comparable to children. In the beginning as we were figuring out the rules and structure of the universe, we required tangible displays of God’s power. When we were rebelled as teenagers, God metaphorically threatened to turn the universe around once or twice, but together we pushed through. Adonai showed us mercy when we acted out, and we learned the do’s and don’ts of Judaism. We continued to reaffirm our covenant with one another.

However, as we grew into a mature nation, like any parent, Adonai saw that we no longer needed our hands to be held. Though we were never left fully alone, God’s miracles did become more discreet.

God performs a multitude of miracles throughout the Bible, and it would be easy to say that divine interferences are no longer a part of the fabric of our reality. However, they are happening all around us, and it is our responsibility to open ourselves up to them.

A great example comes from the movie Bruce Almighty. If you haven’t seen it, it is about a man who is facing a series of obstacles in his life. His job is a hassle, his love life is a mess, and he is overall frustrated. In one scene, he is driving and cries out that he needs a sign that God truly exists. God, played by Morgan Freeman, does send Bruce a sign in the form of a truck carrying road signs, which pulls in front of Bruce on the road. Does Bruce acknowledge this very literal sign? No, he gets frustrated and starts to yell.

Even though we as a nation have matured, and no longer seek consistent tangible proof of God’s involvement in our lives, occasionally we do. When God intervenes, it can come in a multitude of forms, including finding a twenty-dollar bill on the ground, getting a call from someone you love when you need it the most, or reviving someone through CPR.

May we all learn to be more observant than Bruce and a little more optimistic like Mariah Carey, because there can be miracles — When we believe.

םיה–לע ודי–תא השמ טיו הזע םידק חורב םיה–תא ׳ה ךלויו םיה–תא םשיו הלילה–לכ :םימה ועקביו הברחל

Then Moses held out his arm over the sea, and the ETERNAL drove back the sea with a strong east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry ground. The waters were split.

Exodus 14:21