![]() Sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedar trees.’ Although Hashem has turned him against them.the people do not return to Hashem, the one who truly strikes them." The Gemara in Masechet Chulin (91a) interprets this Pasuk in relation to the episode of the Gid HaNasheh. Hashem sending word to Ya’akov refers to the prohibition of Gid HaNasheh, and when the Pasuk states, “it fell on Bnei Yisrael,” it is referring to Bnei Yisrael spreading the Isur of Gid HaNasheh. The entire nation shall know, including Efrayim and those who live in Shomron, with arrogance and haughtiness who say, ‘Bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with stone. VaYesageiv Hashem…VeHaAm Lo Shav Ad Hamakeihu VeEt Hashem Tzevakot Lo Darashu," "Hashem sent word to Ya’akov, and it fell upon Bnei Yisrael. LeVeinim Nafalu VeGazit Nivneh Shikimim Guda'u VaArazim Nachlif. VeYade’u HaAm Kulo Efrayim VeYosheiv Shomron BeGa'avah UVeGodel Levav Leimor. Rav Shamshon Refa’el Hirsch gives a beautiful insight as to how this story might be able to take effect in our own lives by explaining a series of Pesukim in Sefer Yeshayahu (9:7-12): " Davar Shalach Hashem BeYa'akov VeNafal BeYisrael. Based on this, we ask, what is the relevance to us of Gid HaNasheh? A similar concept applies to the Torah itself, as Moshe Rabbeinu wrote it down through Nevu’ah and Ru’ach HaKodesh and only recorded that which was Nitzrechah LeDorot, required for the generations to come. We hear only a fraction of the millions of Nevu’ot that were received! How can the Tanach omit so many? The Gemara answers by saying that only Nevu’ot that were needed for future generations were written, but the ones that were not needed were not written. Despite this fact, there are only forty-eight Nevi’im mentioned in Tanach. The Gemara states in Masechet Megilah (14a) that there were many Nevi’im that stood among Kelal Yisrael, twice the number who left Egypt there were at least 1.2 million Nevi'im throughout Jewish history. ![]() In order to answer the above question, we first ask a slightly different one. Granted, it shows us the strength of Ya'akov Avinu, the man who could overcome all the hardships in life, but what is the significance of the story of the Gid HaNasheh and its additional dietary restriction? This is an interesting story to read about in Sefer BeReishit, but its implications are very puzzling and ambiguous. A divine wrestling match?! That must have been a spectacle that only seeing with our eyes, not reading words, could do justice. ![]()
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