How Can We Know That Hashem Gave the Torah?

Evitar asks: "Hello. We believe that Hashem gave the Torah, but how can we prove, in an intellectual way, that it was Hashem who gave it and not someone else?"

Answer:

Hello Evitar, and thank you for your thoughtful question.

According to the Torah, Hashem is the Creator of the world and the One who governs all the laws of nature. He possesses unlimited power, and there is no force greater than Him in all of existence.

If we wish to know whether Hashem truly revealed Himself and gave the Torah, we would expect to see evidence that reflects His unlimited power. Such evidence would not be a small wonder or isolated phenomenon, but extraordinary miracles that demonstrate complete control over nature before the eyes of an entire nation.

What Kind of Miracle Would Prove Divine Revelation?

Imagine that someone named Shimon claimed he could prove that he had received a divine revelation. You arrive expecting a display of supernatural power, but instead he pulls a rabbit out of a magician's hat.

Would that convince you?

Most people would say no.

Throughout history, magicians and illusionists have amazed audiences with tricks that appear extraordinary. The Torah itself tells us that the magicians of Egypt were able to imitate certain signs performed before Pharaoh. Whether through deception, illusion, or other means, such displays do not prove that the Creator of heaven and earth has revealed Himself.

If Hashem were to reveal His power, we would expect something far greater: miracles that truly alter reality and demonstrate mastery over nature itself.

Real Miracles Versus Illusions

The Ramban highlights an important distinction when discussing the miracles of the Torah.

In his commentary on Deuteronomy, he explains that the Exodus from Egypt was a real historical event, not a vision, dream, or appearance.

According to the Ramban, magic and sorcery are limited in what they can accomplish. They may create illusions or deceive the senses, but they cannot genuinely transform the natural world. Only the Creator, who established the laws of nature, can suspend or alter them.

For that reason, the Torah describes miracles that produced tangible, physical effects rather than merely impressive displays.

The Miracles of the Torah

The Torah presents numerous examples of miracles that changed reality itself.

When the Nile turned to blood, the water became undrinkable. During the plague of the firstborn, Egypt's firstborn were struck while the firstborn of Israel were spared.

At the splitting of the Red Sea, the waters parted, allowing the Children of Israel to cross safely while the pursuing Egyptian army drowned. The pillar of cloud was not merely symbolic; it physically separated the Egyptian and Israelite camps and prevented the Egyptians from advancing.

Similarly, the manna that sustained the Jewish people in the wilderness was not a vision or dream. The nation depended on it for survival throughout forty years in the desert.

Other examples include the earth opening to swallow Korach and his followers, and the collapse of the walls of Jericho after the sounding of the shofars.

These events are described as real miracles that affected the physical world and changed the course of Jewish history.

Why Does This Point to Hashem?

The Torah's claim is unique because it describes public miracles witnessed by an entire nation and involving dramatic changes in nature itself.

According to the Torah's perspective, such events testify to the existence of a Creator who rules over heaven and earth and who alone possesses the power to alter the laws of nature.

As the verse states:

"And know this day, and lay it to your heart, that Hashem is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is none else" (Deuteronomy 4:39).

From this perspective, the great public miracles described in the Torah are not merely wonders. They are evidence of Hashem's mastery over creation and the foundation for the belief that it was Hashem Himself who revealed the Torah to the Jewish people.