Miracles

A question: If there was enough oil for one night, then the first night was no miracle. So why celebrate 8 days? The answer is that the first night was also a miracle. Why? Because if all the oil were used up on the first night, then even God could not make the lights burn for the other seven. Even God does not provide one hundred percent miracles.  Nes Bederekh Hatevah -- the miracle too is done in a natural way. If there is oil, God can stretch it. Man must provide the one jar, then God can make it burn for eight days.

Elisha is confronted by the Shunamite woman. He asks: Ma Yesh Lokh Babayit -- "What do you have in the house?" After she tells him she has one jar, he tells her to keep pouring, and the oil keeps pouring and fills many utensils.

The same thing happens at sea. Why didn't God raise and carry them from one side of the sea to the other?

You know the story about the child who comes home from Sunday school and the mother asks: Jimmy, what did you learn in school today? And the child describes how the engineering corps built pontoon bridges, and these escaped convicts ran over the water, while the airforce was giving cover overhead. And the mother says: That's not how I learned about the crossing of the sea. And the child says: Mom, if I told it to you the way the teacher told it to us, you would never believe it!

The sea did not split until Nachshon ben Aminadav jumped in. Man must make his contribution to the miracle. Nes Bederekh Hatevah.

Hashamayim Shamayhim Lashem, Vehaaretz Natan Levnei Adam God is in heaven, and we are here -- this verse is not to be taken literally. Man cannot tell God to mind His own business, stay in heaven and not mix into earthly matters. God expects man to aspire to heaven and not limit himself to earth.