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What does it mean that Hashem (ה׳) is "Ileim" (mute) in the face of evil? Rabbi Zweig distinguishes between silence (choosing not to respond) and muteness (allowing the evildoer to feel victorious). The Chanukah (חנוכה) story embodies "Mi kamocha ba'Eilim Hashem"—Hashem permits the wicked to succeed before ultimately defeating them, granting human free will its fullest reality.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a textual question on the phrase "Mi kamocha ba'Eilim Hashem (ה׳)," which Rashi (רש"י) interprets as "strength" and the Gemara (גמרא) connects to "those who are silent." The Gemara in Gittin teaches that one who hears his shame and remains silent is "powerful like the sun at high noon." Yet the word "Eilim" also means mute—an Ileim is someone who cannot speak. What is the strength in being mute, unable to respond, compared to choosing silence when one could respond? Rashi illustrates this with the account from Gittin of Titus HaRasha entering the Kodesh HaKodashim, spreading a Torah (תורה) scroll, committing an immoral act, and then stabbing the paroches with his sword—from which blood miraculously emerged. He then cursed Hashem. The miracle of blood flowing from the curtain was Hashem's doing. Rabbi Zweig explains that when someone doesn't respond, it can mean one of two things: either "you can't touch me" (superiority) or "you beat me into submission" (fear or weakness). The ambiguity leaves open whether silence comes from strength or defeat.
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Beshalach (Shemos 15:11 - Mi Kamocha ba'Eilim Hashem)
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
