"If Everything is Written from Heaven – Why Should I Make Efforts?" - 5 Points to Ponder

We Have Become Accustomed

We are amazed by an airplane in the air... Why are we not amazed by a bird flying?

We are amazed by a ship sailing... Why are we not amazed by a fish swimming thousands of kilometers in the sea?

We are amazed by the most advanced digital camera in the world... Why are we not amazed by our eye?

We are amazed by the most advanced computer in the world... Why are we not amazed by our brain?

We are amazed by a magnificent fountain... Why are we not amazed by the raindrops falling on us from the sky?

(Photo: shutterstock)

We are amazed at the sight of a lion and a giraffe lounging at the zoo... Why are we not amazed by the sight of humans moving, thinking, remembering, and speaking?

We are amazed by an exquisite chandelier hanging from the ceiling and illuminating the house... Why are we not amazed by the sun?

A person can see enormous wonders throughout his life without marveling at them. The nature of creation deceives us, and we continue to take everything for granted. The whole creation shouts and proclaims that there is a Creator to the amazing world in which we live. We must open our eyes, observe, and thank the Creator of the World for all the goodness and abundance He has given us.

The creation testifies to its Creator: the planner, executor, the all-powerful and unlimited Creator is... King of Kings, Hashem!

The Baby's Skeleton

At birth, the fetus's skeleton is mostly composed of cartilage. Cartilage is a flexible material, allowing the fetus to be pushed out through the birth canal without any injury to its delicate body. However, after birth, the baby's soft skeleton poses a problem. Why? Because the skeleton needs to be firm enough to support the growing body and to protect the baby's vital organs.

Miraculously, right after birth, the cartilage begins to harden. Special cells called osteoblasts – bone-forming cells – secrete minerals that cause the soft cartilage to turn into hard bone.

Some bones even fuse together. At birth, there are gaps in the baby's skull that allow it to change shape during birth. During the baby's first year, these gaps gradually close until the skull is completely closed, and so our skeleton continues to develop...

(Photo: shutterstock)

Adults have about 206 bones in their bodies. A baby has even more: about 300 bones. Some of these bones will fuse during the growth process, which explains the "decrease" in the number of bones in the body.

How do bones know when to be flexible and when to be hard, and all in such perfect timing that allows for the easy birth of the baby and its proper development? Who programmed them to be separate at first, and at a certain, unique stage, to connect and function so amazingly?

"Blessed is the Man Whom You Chasten, Yah..."

A central question in faith: how to accept suffering with love and trust Hashem that everything is truly for the good?

Consider, for example, a rich man who gave you a gift of ten million dollars, but occasionally "tests" you and requests a few dollars here and there. Would you be angry with him? Certainly not, for he owes you nothing, and what are his demands compared to what you have received from him? Similarly, remember that the Creator of the World has given you millions of valuable gifts, which you do not consider at all, whose value is limitless, and He does not have to give you any of them:

The Creator of the World has given you eyes to see the world and see it in varied colors. The Creator of the World has given you two ears to hear sounds and tones. The Creator of the World has given you teeth to chew, a mouth to speak, and a tongue to taste and enjoy.

The Creator of the World grants you the ability to enjoy creation, and His gifts are worth millions:

Think about a blind person, how much money he would be willing to invest to see the world! No technology can compare to the eyes that the Creator of the World gave you as a gift. Think about a deaf person, how much money he would be willing to invest to hear! Think about a mute person, how much money he would be willing to invest to talk.

(Photo: shutterstock)

Think about a person who is crippled or has lost a limb, someone whose digestive system does not allow him to eat certain foods, a disabled or constrained person. Indeed, not everyone receives all the gifts that the Creator of the World has created for us. But all of us have received very precious gifts, whose value is limitless.

Once you are aware that the Creator of the World has given you gifts worth millions, how can you continue to be angry over trivial matters like failing a test? Would you be angry at a billionaire who gave you a four-story villa, with a private pool, penthouse, and ten luxury cars – just because he caused a scratch on your car?!

Think logically, and you will see that you cannot be angry with someone who gave you a million free gifts, when all he does is, essentially, for your own good! Even the suffering that the Creator of the World gives you is only to improve you, similar to a doctor treating you to heal your body, so you should even thank Him for the suffering.

Friends, we do not know heaven's calculations, but how great is one who can thank the Creator of the World despite the suffering and despite the difficulties and pains, to see the light within the darkness and to find the merit point within the pain...

Blood-Brain Barrier

The brain requires blood flow for its function, yet it is not sufficiently resilient to withstand exposure to contaminants, antibodies, and other substances carried with the bloodstream, which may alter the composition of fluids in the brain and disrupt neural conduction.

Wait, the brain is one of the most important and sensitive organs in the body, so how can the passage of various chemicals and products present in the bloodstream that could reach the brain and cause it harm be prevented?! The brain needs protection!

Do not worry! This protection is provided by the "blood-brain barrier" (BBB) – a membrane serving as a molecular filter between the blood system and the fluid surrounding the brain. It is a tissue that filters the blood before it enters the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and prevents the penetration of foreign substances present in the blood (such as pathogens) that could harm the brain, including bacteria, large molecules (such as chemical toxins) and hormones.

(Photo: shutterstock)

The blood-brain barrier is constructed from a dense tissue of cells, located within the blood vessels reaching the brain. These cells allow the passage of nutrients and other substances necessary for normal metabolic activity in brain cells and prevent the passage of harmful substances.

The barrier is not uniform throughout the brain. In certain areas, it is less tight. For example, there is an area in the brain called the Area Postrema, which is responsible for vomiting. The barrier is not very tight, so that in the event of a toxic substance invading the blood, it can be detected and cause vomiting before permanent damage occurs.

The blood-brain barrier is a wonderful protective mechanism, its role on one hand is to prevent blood-borne infections from reaching the brain, and on the other hand, to allow the passage of essential substances for its function. Who knew how to create this sophisticated protection mechanism specifically for the most important and sensitive organ in the human body?

The Duty of Effort - In Action!

I often hear people using the phrase "God will help," or "with God's help," in their speech. Assuming these phrases are not spoken offhand, they express faith in the Creator of the World. Indeed, everything is under His complete supervision, and it is important to recognize that.

However, Hashem expects each of us to make the minimal effort required of us – to get up and take action. For example, if a person needs a livelihood, he should not sit idly at home, expecting salvation and relying on a miracle, but rather take action: look for a job, inquire in "help wanted" ads, ask those nearby about available positions, send resumes, and more... A person who trusts in Hashem and at the same time makes the minimal effort required of him will be blessed by Hashem.

This is a great foundation in the service of Hashem. The importance of effort and action can be learned from the Torah, which is a guide and instruction book for generations, where every word and letter are measured and meaningful: "...so that Hashem your God may bless you in all the work of your hands which you do" (Deuteronomy 14:29). The Creator of the World will bless you. When? The Torah emphasizes: "which you do"! On the face of it, we would understand this without these words, but by writing them, there is a significant message for us: our action is a kind of vessel into which the blessing, abundance from Hashem, is given.

Remember, in heaven everything is already planned, everything is written. But we must make efforts and toil, and Hashem will complete the work for us and bless the work of our hands.

On the other hand, what is not meant for you and for your benefit – you will not be able to achieve, even if you try and fight! That is not what Hashem wants for you, and you cannot fight Him.

May it be His will, that we succeed in achieving our salvations – through our effort and daily work!