Parshas Shoftim 5785
There’s something that’s always captivated me about Yosemite National Park—it may simply be that it was the first national park I’d ever actually heard of—and this summer, I finally had my chance to get there. It didn’t disappoint. Our final moments in the park were spent at Glacier Point, a spot overlooking the entirety of the Yosemite Valley, with the iconic Half Dome at the center. Then, driving out of the park at dusk, we watched the sun set behind the Sierra Nevada mountains, our jaws agape.
These were greatly spiritual moments, opportunities to witness firsthand the Divine imprint upon the world, at every switchback of the long winding road leading out of Yosemite. It occurred to me only later that, in truth, recognizing the Yad Hashem in the natural marvels our family had witnessed was insufficient. Hashem’s handiwork wasn’t only present in the Yosemite Valley, but in the road leading there as well.
Parshas Shoftim contains the formula for determining whether or not we should follow the instruction of an alleged prophet. Perhaps the most obvious of all the possible indicators is if a prophet foretells of an event that ultimately does not come to pass. In considering this possibility, the Torah states, “If the prophet will speak in the name of G-d, yet the matter will neither happen nor come about (לא יהיה הדבר ולא יבוא), this is a matter that G-d has never spoken. (18:22)”
On careful examination, the Torah uses two seemingly identical terms. The event foretold will not happen. Nor will it come about. What is the difference between the two?
The Vilna Gaon explains that the former refers to the direct hand of G-d, while the latter refers to something brought about by the hand of man. The first may refer to an unusual weather pattern, the second to an unlikely team winning the Super Bowl. While other factors must also be considered, the prophet cannot be dismissed as a navi sheker, a false prophet, should either such phenomenon come to pass.
The Vilna Gaon explains that although the prophet claims to speak in the name of G-d, the foretelling of some human event is not beyond the pale of his declaration. Because, in reality, the events of humankind are likewise orchestrated by G-d. Yes, human beings must exercise their free will to fulfill what they set out to accomplish, but without Divine assistance in the form of health, cognitive functioning, and the Divine orchestration of myriad other factors, nothing would ever be achieved.
Which is to say that Hashem should be perceived not only in the majestic sites of Half Dome or El Capitan, but in the easily overlooked asphalt roads that lead to them. In the bathrooms and water fountains that make the visit comfortable. And in the legislation that preserved the park’s beauty to the benefit of the millions who visit each year. Such achievements are, in many ways, even more remarkable than the sites themselves, and are all a part of Hashem’s dominion over this world.
These are critical thoughts during this time of year. We find ourselves less than a month away from Rosh Hashana, a holiday dedicated to the recognition of malchus Hashem, Divine sovereignty, as one of its most prominent themes. Yet it doesn’t come easily. Even the most spectacular of natural wonders can be shrugged off as nothing more than a nice experience. More challenging yet, the human hands that ostensibly furnish so much of the world around us can easily obscure the Divine hands operating behind them. What is required is consciousness, reflection, and meditation to discern how it all falls within the scope of Hashem’s providence.
The Hebrew word for universe—עולם—is a derivation of the word העלם, hidden. The world around us can easily conceal G-d’s presence if we don’t make a conscious effort to see it. If you had the opportunity over the summer lay eyes on some of Hashem’s masterful works, it’s a good time to look back at the photos you took. Of the mountains, the ocean, the woods, and to view them with spiritual glasses. But then to expand that view. To know that it’s not only the mountains, but the roads that lead to them. Not only the beach, but the boardwalk. Not only the woods, but the cabin you slept in.
We have ample time to position ourselves well to recognize Hashem’s sovereignty. Not only over the cosmos, but over history. Not only over the natural world, but over human endeavor. Not only over what He Himself created, but of what He’s allowed us to create as well.