When the Heavens Close: A Lesson from History
The significance of recognizing divine will amidst challenges is vital. Ignoring the true cause of hardship, as warning texts suggest, can perpetuate the punishment. It's essential to be aware of what drives these occurrences – Hashem's desire to awaken us.
- יהוסף יעבץ
- פורסם כ"ה אייר התשפ"ד
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In the portion of Bechukotai it is stated: "If you will not listen to Me... your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit." More familiar to many are the verses we recite several times daily: "Beware... and He will shut the heavens and there will be no rain." When the people of Israel sin – there is no rain.
How can we see this? Consider for a moment, what was the most blatant betrayal of Hashem by the Israelites? When did they commit idolatry openly? Surely, the era of King Ahab stands out. Ahab made Baal the official state religion, married Jezebel the Phoenician who imposed Baal worship, killed the prophets of Hashem, and destroyed His altars.
And how did the heavens respond?
The prophet in the Book of Kings describes: "And the famine was severe in Samaria... And Ahab said to Obadiah, 'Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.'" The king himself had to wander in search of water.
For those who, unfortunately, may not fully trust the words of our prophets, even the neighboring nations recorded this famine. A historian from Tyre named Menander of Ephesus extensively documented the great famine during the reign of Ithobaal. Menander is regarded as a reliable historian, and if you are wondering who Ithobaal is – he is Jezebel's father, Ahab's father-in-law. The famine likely affected the entire region, reaching even northern Tyre.
Even in later times, when Israel sinned, the heavens withheld rain, as the prophet Amos describes: "I send blight and mildew upon you... pestilence... and still, you did not return to Me" (Amos 4:9-10).
When the children of Israel are punished for their sins and fail to comprehend the true cause, "and still, you did not return to Me," as Amos says, it becomes a perilous indictment that might lead to continued punishment. Therefore, it is crucial, when a calamity occurs, to recognize the real cause – Hashem's desire to awaken us. All natural elements are merely tools in His hands.
