Just imagine, describes Rav Elyah Svei (Ruach Eliyahu, Vayera, 18), that we are walking outside, and all of a sudden, a dog comes and begins talking to us and rebukes us. Without a doubt, we would stop, and we would be quite stirred up. Something so wondrous like this would leave a mighty strong impression on us—Hashem sent us a dog to give us mussar!
Yet, Bilaam has a totally different response. Bilaam was on his way to curse Am Yisrael. Suddenly, his she-donkey began speaking to him and rebuked him. But Bilaam did not reflect about this totally out of the ordinary occurrence! He continued on his way, in pursuit of accomplishing his evil plans, despite hearing an animal talk and rebuke him. Although from Heaven they were reproving him (like the Seforno (22:28), Hashem gave the she-donkey the ability to talk in order to inspire Bilaam to repent, yet Bilaam didn’t change his ways. An obvious, nature-defying miracle didn’t even cause Bilaam to budge.
We can suggest that this can show us that it’s within the human tendency to witness blatant miracles, or clear signs from Heaven, and yet stubbornly continue in one’s wrongful ways, without realizing or giving thought that perhaps Hashem is causing this miracle to happen for a reason, that He is purposely sending a message—an inspiration to stir one to reflect on one’s ways and better oneself.
There may be other, similar instances of such a phenomenon. For example:
1) When Lot took in the angels into his home (Bereishit, chp. 19), the Torah states: “The townspeople, Sodomites, converged upon the house from young to old, all the people from every quarter. And they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them.’” Rashi explains that the words “that we may know them” means the Sodomites wanted to sodomize them. As the Sodomites were close to breaking down the door, the angels caused them to become blind. Yet, that didn’t stop them at all. For the pasuk then says, “they tried vainly to find the entrance.” Even after what seems to be a miracle, or at the very least, a seemingly very clear indication to refrain from their wrongful pursuit, they still persisted.
2) In Egypt, there were a number of outstanding miracles (the makkot), and despite this, many of the Egyptians continued in their ways and did not change. Furthermore, when the sea split for Bnei Yisrael—a seemingly clear miracle and sign that Hashem is with the Jews–Pharoah and his army didn’t reroute, but continued to pursue Bnei Yisrael. (R’Akiva even maintains that there were 250 makkot by the sea!) Despite the seemingly clear signs, the Egyptians didn’t reconsider—they didn’t change, but continued head forward in their evil ways.
3) When the wicked Titus invaded the Beit HaMikdash, he took a sword and slashed the parochet (curtain). A miracle occurred and blood began bubbling out of the parochet (Gemara Gittin 56). Yet, despite witnessing this open miracle, Titus didn’t reconsider his ways, but continued on his evil path.
Perhaps we can gear this idea to what may be a more practical level: Lot decided to leave Avraham’s company and settle in Sodom despite knowing that the residents there were wicked and corrupt. Not long after Lot resided in Sodom, he was taken captive. The Torah says, “And they captured Lot … for he was residing in Sodom.” Rashi explains that the words, “for he was residing in Sodom,” teaches that his residing in Sodom caused this to happen to him. Which means, as Rav Elyah Svei explains, that since Lot chose to part from Avraham and dwell in Sodom, he was vulnerable and able to be victimized; but if he had stayed with Avraham, then certainly they wouldn’t have been able to impose any harm onto Lot. Sure enough, who ended up saving Lot? Indeed, Avraham himself.
Rav Svei thus observes the following: One would have thought that Lot—upon seeing that soon after he left Avraham’s company and resided in Sodom he was taken captive, and that Avraham was the one who saved him, proving that his entire safety is dependent on his connection to Avraham and that he is bound to be in dangerous circumstances if he dwells in Sodom—surely he would have immediately escaped from Sodom and returned to dwell with Avraham. But that is not what occurred. After all this, Lot went right back to Sodom, as if nothing had happened! (Ruach Eliyahu, ibid).
From this, we can perhaps suggest that Lot—on a personal, but somewhat not as apparent (in comparison to an open miracle) level—experienced Hashem’s providence and orchestration in his life through regular, natural means; he did not necessarily experience a wondrous miracle per se to serve as a wake up call to reconsider his ways, but ordinary, natural events, that—if one would give some thought to—may be clear signs directing one to look within himself and reflect on his actions. But Lot still continued in his ways.
Likewise, we might also experience signs from Hashem that may be “clothed” in natural happenings and events—signs that might be Hashem’s way of calling to us to take a step back, reflect on our ways and strive to improve. Yet, to be positively affected, it may be important to be aware of, and overcome the aforementioned tendency to persist in our misguided ways, despite experiencing these signs for reflection, repentance and change.
Binyamin is a graduate of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, and Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
