I see miracles all the time. Walking, talking miracles.
If I would be on the lookout, I would notice many more of these living miracles. But every once in a while, a miracle just stares me in the eye and it becomes too hard to ignore.
Like the Holocaust survivor I met, who saw horrors that no mortal eye should see, yet refuses to miss his daily prayers.
Or the young woman with flaming red curls who approached me after my lecture about why Jewish married women cover their hair. She told me that she plans to cover her beautiful locks once she marries, but wants advice on how to sensitively approach her parents so they don’t feel rejected by her lifestyle change.
Or the woman who had an abusive childhood and who would be justified in giving in to bouts of depression, but is determined to use her experience instead to grow spiritually and bring joy to our world.
Or the man I met in a small European town who decided to uproot himself and move to a new country, a new language, and a new career in order to find and marry a Jewish woman.
These are all miracles. The repercussions of each of these nature-defying acts are world-shattering.
These are people inspired to bring positive change to their lives. People who don’t allow the natural heavy pull of inertia, their pain or disillusionment, to hold them back from achieving greatness. People who break all barriers, to connect with their divine soul.
In this week’s Torah portion, after the miraculous ten plagues are visited on the Egyptians, G‑d commanded Moses, “This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year.” (Exodus 12:2)
Up until this point, Tishrei, the month of creation, was considered the first month of the year. Although Tishrei still begins the new year—when counting the months, Nisan is considered the first month, and Tishrei the seventh.
When G‑d created the world, He set up divine forces, which we call nature, to govern it. Miracles were the exception. Therefore, Tishrei, the month in which the world and its natural forces came into being, was considered the primary month.
Then came the birth of the Jewish people, a nation that would become living, walking miracles. Once the Jewish people become a nation, this month is counted as the first month.
The miraculous Exodus and our subsequent survival throughout our tumultuous history defy the very laws of nature. The existence of the Jewish people proves that when you are attached to G‑d and His Torah, you are not subject to natural limitations.
And the most profound way in which we transcend nature is by fusing heaven and earth, by breaking through our physical and emotional limitations, striving higher and bringing an awareness of an infinite G‑d into this finite, material world.
Look around and you will also see so many living miracles!
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