Nature and Miracles

Rav Kook pointed out the connection between Parshat Vayeishev and Chanukah. It is not a coincidence that this is the Torah reading right around the time of this holiday.

He gave an emphasis to the term, נס וטבע, which means, “a miracle and nature.” The common feature of the biblical story of Yosef and his brothers, has an element of “NES VeTEVA,” as does the Chanukah story.

The brothers felt justified in treating Yosef badly. They assumed that he was the “bad apple” of the family, just as their Uncle Eisav, and great Uncle Yishmael. Throwing into the pit and eventually selling him, seemed to be the right thing to do.

The “Teva” part of that pit is that it should have killed Yosef. Nobody can survive a pit of snakes and scorpions. The “NES” was that he was miraculously saved and he was unharmed.

The Chanukah story has that small cruse of oil, that by nature should have burned only one day. The miracle was that it burned seven more days.

This simple message of “nature and miracles,” is much deeper than we think. It is our duty to be aware of this phenomenon on a regular basis. What we see as being connected to nature is really miraculous.

It is said of Leah, that when she gave birth to Yehuda, she gave thanks. She was the first to acknowledge that a baby being born was very natural. But at the same time, every baby being born represents the “miracle of nature.”

We need constant reminders that we must never take anything for granted. We must give thanks and appreciation for all of Hashem’s endless blessings. Parshat Vayeishev and Chanukah provides us with such a reminder.