This world is called olam, related to the Hebrew word ne'elam - "hidden" - because nothing in this world is obvious; the truth is concealed and we must struggle to uncover and reveal it.


In our parsha, dealing with the Shmittah year, we are told: "If you will cry out and say, 'What will I eat?' (HaShem) will bless you in the sixth year with enough produce to last for three consecutive years." (The sixth, the seventh, Shmittah, year and the eighth year, when crops have not yet grown back.)


Wow. That's indeed a great miracle. But wait, this is what G-d promises to the people of a lesser level of bitachon, who do not fully trust HaShem and so cry out to Him. Those with a greater bitachon, so trusting that they say nothing at all, merit receiving a hyper-nutritious crop in the sixth year that is the same size as normal, yet manages (like Bubbie's famous cholent pot) to feed much more than would be expected.


The advantage of this latter blessing is that the recipient does not have to work three times as hard to harvest and store a triple-size crop. He gets all the benefits of the first blessing with only a third of the toil.


Now, on the surface, it would appear that seeing your harvest treble in size right before your eyes would be the greater miracle, not the lesser. But this is not the case. Those

One who will inherit the World to Come is the person who says "Ashrei" on a daily basis, rather than "Hallel".

who are wise and faithful understand that true appreciation of G-d lies in recognizing the hidden miracles that He performs on a daily basis, not the rare, open, dramatic intervention in (or suspension of) nature.


Indeed, says the Talmud, a Ben Olam Haba - one who will inherit the World to Come - is the person who says Ashrei on a daily basis, rather than Hallel. For Ashrei sings G-d's praises in all facets of life - from alef to tav - while Hallel is reserved for special occasions.


We must learn to see G-d in that which "comes naturally" - the fresh air we breath, the regularity of sunrise and sunset, the fact that our limbs and organs - hopefully - function properly; having our own Jewish country, with a strong army and economy and a united holy city of Jerusalem in our control; being able to wake up and walk outside, to work, eat, be with family, sleep at night, and on and on. These are the "nisecha sheh'b'chol yom imanu," the miracles we experience every day. They seem to occur automatically, but don't be fooled; they require HaShem's chesed and His close and continuous supervision.


The person of lesser faith seeks out his G-d when things go wrong; but the person of greater faith comes closer to HaShem when things go right.