Two Levels of National Miracles

Since the beginning of the State of Israel, Hashem has blessed us with two levels of Divine Protection.

The first level happened from 1948 to 1973. This was when the Arabs were united in their lust for our blood. They joined together, putting their armies under the command of generals from different nations, to set up a phalanx aimed at wiping us off the map.

The very fact that seven Arab armies were able to unite was unnatural. Their defeat by Israel in a matter of months was a miracle. Less than two decades later, four Arab armies united to push us into the sea. We defeated them in days. That was a clear miracle.

In 1973, three Arab armies caught us off guard. At one point there was nothing in between the Syrian tanks rumbling through the Galilee, and Egyptian tanks moving through the Sinai towards Tel Aviv. That the Land wasn't deprived of its children was another clear miracle.

Since then, the miracles have been greater but harder to see. Peace with Egypt meant a divided Arab world. It meant no more enemy with superior abilities to wipe us out. From 1974 to today, we have never had to face an enemy of superior force.

That itself is a miracle.

There are 400 million Arabs spread out over 19 countries with over 2 trillion dollars in wealth. If they were to unite for a second, only Hashem could save us. The wars we fought against a united Arab front are clearly seen as Divine miracles for the Jewish People.

That the Arabs haven't been able to utilize their wealth and numbers is a greater miracle. Even though they all have governments that profess to serve G-d, and every other sentence that comes from their mouth includes "Praise G-d," and they pray to G-d 17 times per day that He destroy the Jewish People, Hashem has kept them blind.

Today, the Arab nations are fragmented, torn apart, or helpless against other Muslim enemies. Many of these countries are actively courting us as Arab rulers quietly step away from their anti-Israel rallies to have lunch with our Generals and Ministers.

This miracle is harder to see. The lack of spiritual awareness lulls us into false complacency, as if it is the might of our right hand and our weaponry that overcomes the Arabs.

Now is the most crucial time to thank Hashem. When the miracles are quieter, they are greater. Their greater concealment gives us the chance to look for them and push ourselves to show gratitude.

Even with the military hi-tech advantage over our adversaries, many of them de facto allies at this point, and a great friend like President Donald Trump, we still cannot build up the most precious parts of our Land. We still cannot call the heart of our country our own without a wave of condemnation.

We still cannot rebuild our Temple even as we hold the Land her ruins sit upon.

It's a miracle that we are protected as much as we are, yet it's sad that as close as we are, the Redemption is still beyond our grasp.

All the more reason to thank Hashem for the hard-to-see miracles, and to plead that the Temple will be rebuilt so we can finish the mission He sent those miracles to accomplish.

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Living in Israel for the better part of our adult life, my wife and I have become deliriously happy. Not just content, really happy. My wife and I developed http://www.abetterlifeinisrael.com/, a 5-hour, 20-video series to give you day to day guidance on How to Live a Better Life in Israel, and to share our joy in experiencing life in greatest place on earth.