In this week’s parsha God tells Moshe Rabbeinu that after he dies the nation will violate God’s covenant. As a result, God’s anger will flare up and calamities will befall us. When this happens we will say, “... הֲלֹא עַל כִּי־אֵין אֱ־לֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת הָאֵלֶּה/… Is it not because God is not within me that these evils have befallen me?”
The simple meaning of these words is that we recognize that evils befall us because God is not protecting us. However the Chiddushei HaRim, quoting the Rav of Parshischa teaches that not recognizing that God is within us is itself the sin whose consequence is that calamities befall us.
The Sfas Emes explains that when we believe and recognize that God is within us, the Shechina rests upon us. When there is an indwelling of the Shechina, we are protected from the nations of the world. Moshe Rabbeinu taught us this in parshas Tavo, “וְרָאוּ כָּל־עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ/All the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the Name of God and they will fear you.”
However, when a person’s level of faith in God falls and he does not believe that God is within him, then the Shechina does not dwell in him. He is not protected and calamities befall him. This is the reason for these pesukim. They encourage us and strengthen our faith. As a result of our faith that God dwells within us, God reveals Himself and we are protected from all evil (God forbid.)
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