Earthquakes : Nature or Message from Hashem?

[muman613]

I know that some may disagree with me, but I am about to go out on a limb in stating one of my firm beliefs. Often, after a 'natural disaster' many people ask this question. "Was this an 'act of G-d' or just the result of 'nature'?"

My own personal experience tells me that whatever happens in this world which relates to me is a message from Hashem. Every sound I hear, every sight I see, and every 'coincidence' which I recognize is a sign of Hashems providence in my life.

What really drove this home was the experience I had when my father passed away in January 2010. Many incredible things occured during that time, too many to mention, but I will concentrate on one issue which stands out for me.

My father, bless his memory, died on Friday January 8th, 2010. I visited him in the hospital a week earlier, on the day of News Years 2010. I got the news after I arrived into work that morning. I get into work at 10:30 and I got a phone call from my fathers wife at 11:30... I was sad to hear the news although I had come to realize that my father was deathly ill {despite denying it till the last week}. About 15 minutes after I got the news, while I was telling a co-worker, the office was shook with an Earthquake. It was a 3.7 magnitude, not enough to knock things over, but enough that you know it happened. The 'epicenter' of the earthquake, according to USGS, was the very city my company is located in.

The fact that the earthquake hit in the city I work in, and within moments of my hearing the news of my fathers death struck me as awesome. But the real shocker came on the day of the funeral.

I drove back down to Los Angeles for my fathers funeral on Sunday. The funeral was held on Monday, January 11th. I was able to sit shiva with my step-mother for most of the week... But the day after the funeral, January 12th was the day of the massive earthquake in Haiti.

I thank Hashem that I was not destroyed in the earthquake which hit my town, and that the lesson which he intended for me to learn is being internalized. Here in California we are waiting for what they call 'THE BIG ONE', the earthquake which will unleash massive damage and destroy scores of lives.

My father was a righteous man who had made mistakes in his life. I thank Hashem that I was able to spend time with him towards the end so that we could make peace between ourselves. My father asked for forgiveness, and I gladly gave it to him. We reconciled our differences and my father said he was proud of me, that I had found my religion, and that I was successful despite the adversity which I had endured.

This experience, along with my world view, brings me to believe that Hashem is the absolute controller of nature and directs things in a way so that humans can learn lessons. All Jews should strengthen their emmunah by looking at the world in a way that we can see His Hashgacha Pratis.

So many incredible things occurred during that time. Maybe sometime I will explain what other miracles I witnessed then...


Reference

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/nc/71337451/us/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_2010

[muman613]

This Psalm, which I just listened to in a song, captures the feeling I have:


Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 49

Chapter 49
1. For the conductor, by the sons of Korah, a song.         א.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all You inhabitants of the earth.         ב.
3. Both the sons of "adam," and the sons of "ish," together rich and poor.         ג.
4. My mouth shall speak wisdoms and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.         ד.
5. I will bend my ear to a parable; with a lyre, I will solve my riddle.         ה.
6. Why should I fear in days of misfortune? The iniquity of my heels surrounds me.         ו.
7. Those who rely on their possessions and boast of their great wealth,         ז.
8. -a brother cannot redeem a man, he cannot give his ransom to God.         ח.
9. The redemption of their soul will be too dear, and unattainable forever.         ט.
10. Will he live yet forever and not see the Pit?         י.
11. For he sees that wise men die, together a fool and a boorish man perish, and leave over their possessions to others.         יא.
12. In their heart, their houses are forever, their dwellings are for every generation; they call by their names on plots of land.         יב.
13. But man does not repose in his glory; he is compared to the silenced animals.         יג.
14. This is their way; folly is theirs, and after them they will tell with their mouth forever.         יד.
15. Like sheep, they are destined to the grave; death will devour them, and the upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will outlast the grave as his dwelling place.         טו.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall take me forever.         טז.
17. Fear not when a man becomes rich, when the honor of his house increases,         יז.
18. For he will not take anything in his death; his glory will not ascend after him.         יח.
19. Because in his lifetime he blesses himself, but [all] will praise you, for you will benefit yourself.         יט.
20. You shall come to the generation of his forefathers; to eternity they will not see light.         כ.
21. Man is in his glory but he does not understand; he is compared to the silenced animals.

[muman613]

One more on this topic... This psalm relates how the world will know that Hashem is the L-rd. The earth will quake when Hashems light is unleashed upon the earth...


Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 97

Chapter 97

1. The Lord has reigned, the earth will exult; many islands will rejoice.         א.
2. Cloud and thick darkness are around Him; righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne.         ב.
3. Fire will go before Him and will burn His enemies all around.         ג.
4. His lightnings illuminated the world; the earth saw and quaked.         ד.
5. Mountains melted like wax from before the Lord, from before the Master of all the earth.         ה.
6. The heavens told His righteousness, and all the earth saw His glory.         ו.
7. All worshippers of graven images will be ashamed, yea those who boast of idols; all gods, prostrate yourselves before Him.         ז.
8. Zion heard and rejoiced, and the daughters of Judah exulted, because of Your judgments, O Lord.         ח.
9. For You, O Lord, are Most High above all the earth; You are very much exalted above all gods.         ט.
10. You who love the Lord, hate evil; He watches the souls of His pious ones, He rescues them from the hands of the wicked.         י.
11. A light is sown for the righteous, and for the upright of heart, joy.         יא.
12. Rejoice, you righteous, with the Lord, and give thanks to His holy name.

[Brett]

This experience, along with my world view, brings me to believe that Hashem is the absolute controller of nature and directs things in a way so that humans can learn lessons

Muman I couldn't agree more. Your experiences are soul touching and I must admit brought tears to my eyes. Without a doubt the things that happen in this World are wake-up calls for us to cleave to HASHEM.

Like myself a few years back my father in law suffered from a brain tumour. It got to the point where it became that aggressive it was life threatening. My wife and myself pleaded with him to get a second opinion as his Doctor was that dismissive it wasn't funny. He saw another doctor which referred him to a brain surgeon. The surgeon looked at him and said straight away he needed an operation and booked him for the first possible bed.

I was at work and had just spoken to my wife in the morning, I was that desperate I found a quiet place and prayed with all my soul with every bit of energy I had and made promises to HASHEM that day that I will never break. Within about 20mins my wife called to say that a bed has been found and that Doctor Banks was getting ready for the op. I closed my eyes and thanked the L-rd then collapsed and cried.

My boss found me and told me to go home and comfort my family. The operation went well and 5 yrs on he's still alive, not out of the woodwork but still surviving. Every time I see him I see the work of the L-rd. The surgeon that operated on my father in law that day is a Jew, I know for certain that all these things are linked.

I will clarify one thing though as my father-in-law is not a G-d fearing man I didn't think that my prayers would of been heard. Even if the worst case happened I intended to honour my promises to HASHEM because I would of needed him to get me through the hard times to come.

He certainly works in mysterious ways.