Dear Parents,

After the miracle of Krias Yam Suf, Moshe is commanded to stretch out his hands to cause the waters of the sea to return to their natural flow. However, it seems unnecessary for Moshe to do this. Isn’t it logical for the waters to return to their original state on “their own” once the purpose of the miracle has been fulfilled?

HoRav Mordechai Gifter זצ“ל derives a remarkable insight from this posuk. We have become so accustomed to believing in the concept of “nature” that we fail to realize that nature is actually a miracle. The entire world functions only as a result of the רצון ה‘. Once Hashem expressed His desire for the waters of the ים סוף to separate, that reality immediately became the new order of “nature.” Life doesn’t simply return to “business as usual” after the נס is performed. And so, in order for the waters to revert to their pre-miracle “טבע,” another miracle was needed.

Our goal should be to constantly strive to perceive the endless miracles in what we consider “routine” nature. Monday is Tu B’Shvat, a great opportunity to achieve this goal, for fruits are a perfect example of an overlooked “routine” part of nature—one that is truly miraculous. As you eat the Tu B’Shvat fruits, take a moment with your children to contemplate the fruit and every facet of its beauty—a great gift from Hashem.

We need to contemplate נסים שבכל יום and we can strengthen our awareness of them by focusing on and improving our כוונה‎ when saying brochos. And as Rav Wolbe זצ“ל‎ once told me, saying brochos out loud (and answering omein) are the key to implanting yiras shomayim in our children.

Gut Shabbos,
Rabbi Gidon Goldberg
Head of School