Faith and Miracles: Why Nothing Is Too Difficult for God

A number of years ago, I was asked to officiate a wedding in northern Israel. Immediately after the ceremony, a man approached me and asked if I would bless his brother, who was battling a serious illness. Of course, I agreed. I went over to his brother, who looked as if he was standing at death’s door, barely able to open his eyes. I blessed him with all my heart, praying that God would send him a complete recovery. Deep inside, though, I felt it was hopeless, based on what I saw and the logic I had been trained to rely on.

A few moments later I realized my blessing alone would not be enough. I also realized how limited my own understanding of God’s power really was. After all, God is the One who sustains billions of complex biological systems every moment, healing bodies constantly from bacteria and even cancerous cells. He creates millions of newborn children every day. Could it really be that He lacked the ability to heal this man standing before me? At that moment, I remembered what our sages taught: “A prayer without intention is like a body without a soul.” And I recalled the words of King Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) to the prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah), when told he was about to die: “Even if a sharp sword rests upon a man’s neck, he must not despair of God’s mercy.”

I stepped outside into the courtyard and spoke to God in my own simple words: “Father in Heaven, I know You can heal every sick person in the world in this very moment. Even if my small mind cannot understand how, I know You are all-powerful.” I repeated this again and again until I felt that I truly believed what I was praying. Then I returned inside and blessed the sick man again.

Faith Put to the Test

A young man once approached me, sharing his desperate financial situation — so bad that he and his wife often lacked bread for their table. His wife earned about 2,000 shekels a month, while he received a 1,800 shekel stipend from his yeshiva studies. Their combined income barely covered rent and utilities, leaving nothing for food. He asked me for advice and a blessing.

I asked him: “Do you believe that next month you could earn 10,000 shekels?” He smiled, almost sarcastically: “How could I possibly make that much money?”

I told him: “Even if I pray for you day and night, if you don’t truly believe that God can provide you with this amount, the prayers won’t help. Here’s what I suggest: go into a quiet room, and shout a hundred times, ‘God is all-powerful!’ Each time, picture in your mind how He feeds billions of living creatures every day, as the verse says: ‘You open Your hand and satisfy the needs of every living being.’ If He can provide food for an elephant each day, He can certainly provide for you.”

A few days later he returned to me and said, “Now I truly believe that God can send me abundant livelihood.” I blessed him with all my heart. That very month, in a way only God could arrange, he was offered an important Torah-related position that solved his financial struggles.

The Keys Are in Your Hands

This principle helps explain the verse: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.’” (Shemot 14:15). When Moshe prayed for God to save the Israelites at the Red Sea, with the Egyptians behind them ready to kill, God’s response was puzzling: “Why do you cry out to Me?” Isn’t prayer exactly what is expected in such a crisis?

The Midrash explains that at that time the people of Israel were divided into four groups: one said, “Let us surrender and return to Egypt.” Another said, “Let us throw ourselves into the sea.” A third said, “Let us fight the Egyptians.” And the fourth said, “Let us cry out to Heaven, and perhaps the Egyptians will flee.”

The common thread among them was that none truly believed that God would split the sea for them to cross on dry land. God therefore said to Moshe: “Why do you cry out to Me?” — because prayer without belief in My power is not enough. “Tell the people to go forward.” Only when they demonstrate their faith by stepping into the sea will I split it. And indeed, when Nachshon ben Aminadav leapt into the waters, letting them rise to his nostrils and crying out, “Water up to my soul!”, only then did God split the sea into twelve paths.

The lesson is clear: before making any request or wish, we must empower God, as it says, “Give strength to God.” How do we, mere mortals, give strength to the Almighty? By believing that He truly can do anything.

Imagine a powerful giant standing in the street, begging a small child to help him start his car. A crowd gathers, puzzled at why such a strong man needs the help of a child. Then it becomes clear that the child holds the key, and without it the giant cannot start the car. In the same way, God rules the world effortlessly, but He placed the “key” in our hands: our faith in His unlimited ability.

This sheds light on our sages’ sayings: “A person’s livelihood is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea” and “Finding a spouse is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea.” Surely nothing is difficult for God! The “difficulty” lies with us, because we doubt. We ask ourselves: How will I ever find work? I lack skills, I don’t know the right people… Or someone working already thinks: How will I ever earn enough? The same goes for someone seeking a spouse: Where will I find the right partner? Even if I do, what if they don’t want me?

In all these cases, God answers: “Everything is in My hands. I can send wealth in any way — even above nature. I can bring you your true spouse at any moment. All I ask is that you believe that I can.”

Sarah, our Matriarch, laughed when told she would bear a child. The Midrash explains that she looked at her aged body and thought, “Can these withered organs really bear life?” God responded to Avraham: “Is anything too wondrous for the Lord?” Just as a blacksmith can forge chains from scratch, surely he can repair broken ones. Likewise, God told Avraham: “If I can create humanity from nothing, surely I can restore your youth and give Sarah a child.”

“Is anything too wondrous for the Lord?” This is the phrase we must place before our eyes at all times. Whatever need arises, let us ask ourselves this question, and the answer will always be clear.