Miracles earned through Yisrael's deeds

במדרש פ' העקידה נתת ליראיך נס להתנוסס שלא יאמרו מי שהוא רוצה הוא מרים כו' מגביה כו' אומרים להם כלום יכולים אתם לעשות כמו שעשה אברהם כו'.

In the Midrash on the passage of the Akeidah: "You have given those who fear You a banner (nes) to be raised (l'hisnoses)" — so that they should not say, "Whomever He wishes He raises up... He lifts up..."; rather, they say to them, "Can you do as Avraham did?"

The Midrash addresses an objection: one might think Hashem simply elevates Bnei Yisrael by His choice. The verse "a banner to be raised" teaches otherwise — the challenge "Can you do as Avraham did?" shows that the elevation comes through Yisrael's own deeds, like Avraham's at the Akeidah.

וקשה וודאי הקב"ה שהכל שלו מי שרוצה הוא מרים ולמה לא.

And this is difficult: surely the Holy One, to Whom everything belongs, raises up whomever He wishes — so why not?

The Sefas Emes presses the question: since all power is Hashem's, why shouldn't He simply lift up whomever He pleases, with no need for human effort at all?

אך פי' הדברים שלא יאמרו כי בנ"י הם רחוקים מאלה הנסים שהקב"ה עושה עמהם ורק שכך הוא רצון עליון.

Rather, the meaning is this: so that they should not say that Bnei Yisrael are themselves distant from these miracles that the Holy One performs with them, and that it is merely the supernal will (ratzon elyon) that decrees it so.

The point is to deny that the miracles are imposed on Bnei Yisrael from outside, with the people having no inner share in them. The nissim are not arbitrary decrees disconnected from who the people are.

לכן נאמר נתת כו' נס להתנוסס פי' שיקבלו בחי' הנסים בעצמותן כלומר שהן מוכנים אל הנס (שהוא) [*שהן] עושין דברים היפוך הטבע.

Therefore it says "You have given... a banner to be raised" — meaning that they receive the aspect of the miracles into their very essence; that is, they are prepared for the miracle, for they do things that run contrary to nature.

The miracle becomes part of their very being. Because Bnei Yisrael act in ways that transcend nature, they make themselves fit vessels for the supernatural — the nes belongs to their essence, not merely to Hashem's decree.

כי באמת כל נסיון הוא נס הנעשה ע"י האדם שהוא אות על זה האדם שיש בו התדבקות בשורש עליון למעלה מהטבע לכן בני ישראל מוכנים אל הנסים.

For in truth every test (nisayon) is a miracle (nes) brought about by a person, which is a sign upon that person that he possesses a connection (deveikus) to the supernal root, above nature; therefore Bnei Yisrael are prepared for miracles.

The Sefas Emes links nisayon (test) and nes (miracle): passing a test is itself a kind of miracle a person performs, proving he is bound to a root above nature. This is why Bnei Yisrael are inherently fit for the supernatural.

והרי אנו מבקשין כמו שכבש אברהם אבינו את רחמיו כו' כן יכבשו רחמיך כו' והרי זה בקשה לעשות עמנו חסד לפנים משורת הדין.

And indeed we ask, "Just as Avraham Avinu suppressed his mercy [to do Your will]... so may Your mercy suppress [Your anger]..." — and this is a request for Hashem to deal with us with chesed, beyond the strict letter of the law (lifnim mishuras hadin).

In our Rosh Hashanah tefillos we invoke Avraham's binding of his own compassion at the Akeidah and ask Hashem, in turn, to act toward us with mercy beyond strict justice.

ואעפ"כ אנו באין בטענה כי גם ע"ז יש משפט מדה במדה מי שזוכה לעשות עמו לפנים משוה"ד.

And nevertheless we come with a claim, for even this is subject to judgment, measure for measure (midah k'neged midah): whoever merits that Hashem act with him beyond the letter of the law [is one who acted so himself].

Even mercy beyond the law is not arbitrary. By the principle of measure for measure, the one who himself goes beyond the strict law — as Avraham did — earns that Hashem deal with him the same way.

וזהו עיקר הבדל בנ"י שגם החסדים והנסים שנעשה עמהם הכל ע"י הכנת מעשיהם.

And this is the essential distinction of Bnei Yisrael: that even the kindnesses and miracles done with them all come about through the preparation of their own deeds.

What sets Bnei Yisrael apart is precisely this — even the chasadim and nissim Hashem grants them are earned and prepared by their own avodah, not handed over for nothing.

וז"ש במד' שהראה הקב"ה ליעקב הסולם ואמר אף עתה עלה ולא רצה לעלות כו' לכן הוצרך להיות הגלות.

And this is what the Midrash means: that the Holy One showed Yaakov the ladder and said, "Even now, ascend!" — but he did not wish to ascend; therefore the galus became necessary.

Yaakov was offered an unearned ascent up the ladder, but he declined to rise by gift alone. Because elevation must be earned through one's own deeds, the long galus became the path by which Bnei Yisrael would rise through their own avodah.

והוא כנ"ל שכל האומות כפי מה שמוכן להם ניתן להם.

And this is as explained above: that all the nations receive according to what is prepared for them [from Above].

The other nations are simply granted whatever portion is allotted to them, passively, without their own deeds being the cause.

אבל בנ"י מדריגתן לעורר בכח מעשיהם ממה שלמעלה מהטבע כנ"ל:

But the level of Bnei Yisrael is to arouse, through the power of their deeds, that which is above nature, as explained above.

The unique madreigah of Bnei Yisrael is active: by the strength of their own deeds they draw down and awaken forces that transcend nature itself.

Summary: Hashem's miracles for Bnei Yisrael are not arbitrary decrees but are rooted in the people's own essence and earned through their deeds. Every nisayon is a nes a person performs, revealing his deveikus to a root above nature. Even chesed beyond the letter of the law comes midah k'neged midah to one who acted so himself — as Avraham did at the Akeidah. This is why Yaakov refused an unearned ascent up the ladder, choosing instead the path of galus, for Yisrael's greatness is to awaken the supernatural through the power of their own avodah.