Inspirational Moment

The Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi’is Perek 9 ) tells us that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to see what was taking place in the outside world. He emerged from the cave where he had been hiding for more than twelve years and observed a hunter spreading out a net in order to capture the bird that was flying overhead. A Heavenly Voice called out: “Dimus – mercy,” and the bird was saved. R’ Shimon Bar Yochai remarked, “Just as anything that happens to the bird must be decreed from Heaven, certainly any experience of the human being is controlled by the Word of Heaven.” And he left the cave.

The Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi’is Perek 9 ) tells us that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to see what was taking place in the outside world. He emerged from the cave where he had been hiding for more than twelve years and observed a hunter spreading out a net in order to capture the bird that was flying overhead. A Heavenly Voice called out: “Dimus – mercy,” and the bird was saved. R’ Shimon Bar Yochai remarked, “Just as anything that happens to the bird must be decreed from Heaven, certainly any experience of the human being is controlled by the Word of Heaven.” And he left the cave.

The Medrash states, with regard to maaseh bereishis, (Bereishis Rabbah 10:7) that: "Even things which appear to you to be unnecessary in the world, such as flies, fleas and mosquitoes, are also part of the creation of the world. Each being and creature, even a snake, mosquito, or frog, was put on this earth to serve a unique function, which Hashem specifies in His administration of the world.” R’ Simon says further, “There isn’t a single blade of glass that does not have its own mazal in Heaven that strikes it and tells it to grow.” The Talmud, likewise (Avodah Zarah 3b), testifies that “every creature – from the mammoth animal, the re’eim, to the miniscule louse – is sustained by Hashem.”

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During Israel’s War for Independence, the Brisker Rov lived in Yerushalayim. The city was subjected to heavy shelling, and his children kept pleading with him to go down to the ground floor, where it was more secure. R’ Yitzchok Zev, however, continued to learn in his room which was located in the upper story of his house.

When the bombardment intensified, the people of the house feared for the Rov’s life. His son went up and insisted that, for the family’s sake, the Rov should go downstairs. Soon after he had vacated the room, a shell came through the outer wall of the house and landed right on the Brisker Rov’s bed.

The Brisker Rov turned to his son and said: “You, mazik. I am confident that if it is not decreed from Shamayim that a person should be harmed, then nothing whatsoever will happen to him. If I would have remained upstairs in my room, then in order to ensure my safety Divine Providence would have intervened that no gunfire should break the wall of the house. Now, because of your interference, the wall was damaged.”