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NOT MOTHER NATURE BUT HER FATHER

In this week’s Parsha, Vayechi, we find our father Yaakov on his deathbed surrounded by his 12 sons as he is about to reveal the date when his people will finally achieve their destiny. It was a divine inspiration by which he knew this date. However, before he shared it with them the inspiration stopped and he could not recall the date. Yaakov suspected that perhaps the date alluded him because one or some of his children were not steadfast in their commitment to HaShem thereby causing the divine connection to terminate. Even worse, perhaps that destiny would never be achieved. He therefore asked his 12 sons if there was anyone in the room whose commitment to HaShem was wavering. In response to this question all his children proclaimed, “Hear O Israel (Yaakov’s name was also Israel) HaShem is our God, HaShem is One!” Upon hearing these words Yaakov understood that the reason the information alluded him was because HaShem wanted it to remain a mystery.