Rabbi Yaakov NeuburgerThe Lesson of the Ness Nigla

Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger

"And a man found [Yosef] him and he was wandering in the field and the man asked him, 'what do you seek'(37:15)". At first glance this pasuk seems to add nothing to the narrative. The details of Yosef's search for his brothers are all left to our imagination and are seemingly inconsequential bar this one unremarkable event that occurred to the wandering Yosef. The fact that it is singled out signals to Chazal that even if the man appeared as a person, he was no less than the maloch Gavriel on a divine mission. Indeed, the sale of Yosef would have never occurred if not for this one meeting. Perhaps Yosef would have continued to wander and returned home reporting the unsuccessful search for his brothers. Thus this moment teaches us, as the Ramban explains, that Hashem was guiding all the events leading up to the sale of Yosef and that He wanted the Egyptian exile to unfold in this manner. More importantly, it would be a source of instruction and strength for Yosef for years to come. Throughout the many times that Yosef would feel desperate and forsaken by family and by Hashem, he would be able to look back at this moment and be reassured that Hashem's watchful eye was directing his life's course. It was these moments of clarity when Hashem allowed Himself to be revealed that illuminated moments of ambiguity and aloneness, which would have otherwise left room for doubts of Hashem's providence.

This life perspective quite possibly may have been part of the upbringing of Yosef. His father's fight with the maloch [angel], according to Ramban, occurred in order to shape the way that Yakov would view his upcoming meeting with Eisav, much as it should shape our understanding of the entire parsha as well. If not for the struggle with the maloch one could have easily thought that Eisav came with good intentions, never planning to engage Yaakov in battle. After all, when they meet, Eisav appears to be a benevolent brother having long buried his difficulties with a paranoid younger brother. In the midst of all of this uncertainty comes the fight with the maloch, the moment of clarity that teaches us the true intentions of Eisav and his four hundred men. Once again it is the moment of Hashem's revelation that interprets the series of events that are to follow.

This pattern of interplay between the ness niglah [revealed miracle] and the ness nistar [hidden miracle] is at the core of the celebration of Chanuka. Here too the war is the classic ness nistar, as one could have forever questioned Hashem's involvement in our military success. It should not surprise us that the Macabbeans were venerated for their battlefield skills and their cunning stratagems. "Rabim beyad Meatim" [many given into the hands of the few] could been attributed to the skills of dedicated Macabbeans. However the seemingly unnecessary miracle of the oil was the ness niglah to show that all that transpired was miraculous even if slightly hidden.

What is the purpose of a ness nistar if one receives the ness nigla in a separate context? What are we to learn from the coupling of revelations rather than the more efficient single ness nigle necessary to address our needs?

It seems to me that the ness nigle reassures and directs us to carefully analyze all of life's events and actively discover Hashem within them. As a result, we proceed to pierce the veil of nature and coincidence, earning the singular privilege of participating in the revealing of Hashem and making His presence all the more palpable for all.