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Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad


Mishpatim 18-1

Decrees

Exodus 21:1-19

Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate.

Ex. 21:12-13 NIV

Who directs circumstances?

In this social decree we learn one of the most important truths. Beyond all that happens there is someone who rules and directs. If a person causes another one’s death by accident it is because the Eternal made it happen. What could be discussed is if the Eternal caused it actively ­ directly ­ or passively by just allowing it to happen. Anyway, it is the same. When the Eternal allows something to happen, then He is the one who causes it, directly or indirectly.

It doesn’t matter if we know the truth about the kingdom of darkness in the air, ruled by satan and his rebellious angels. If satan did it, it is because the Eternal allowed him to do it. Satan can’t do anything outside of the area the Eternal set for him. He has the right to act wherever there is disobedience of the commandments of the Eternal, but it is because the Eternal has given him that authority. If satan operates in someone’s life it is because he has received authority from the Most High.

There are not two parallel powers in the heavens - a good one and an evil one - fighting each other. We must get rid of this dualism. There is one Governor in Heaven and He rules over everything, even over the world of darkness. The kingdom of darkness in the air is not something parallel with the kingdom of light. The kingdom of light is above the kingdom of darkness and rules over all. There is nothing in the invisible or visible worlds that is not watched and controlled by the Eternal. He has full control over His creation, even that part of it that rebelled against Him.

If by accident, something happens in our lives it is because there are causes behind it. We sometimes don’t understand the causes that create negative events. It could be our disobedience, negligence, wrong attitudes or for being in a context that attracts evil. But it could also be to avoid worse evil in the future, to teach us an important truth, to polish our character, to induce us to seek him or to keep us from sinning. HaShem has thousands of reasons for allowing negative things to happen in our lives.

But if we blame the devil, we are creating two gods in our minds and then we commit a sort of idolatry.

This text shows us that satan is not the cause of an accident that causes the death of a person, but the Most High. Let’s learn the lesson that we have only one God who governs over absolutely everything.

Entrust your life in His hands and your path will be successful.

Shavua tov, good week

Ketriel


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