Blessings from Torah Study - in the USA, we find that many communities which were not so strong in torah study could not survive the winds of assimilation and disappeared leaving behind huge synagogues lying empty. While tiny communities which started as a handful of Torah students learning in a kollel have now become huge flourishing Torah communities. (Tip: buy homes in small towns with a new Kollel)
Blessings to Orthodox Society - in the United States, as well as in Israel, sociologists in the 1950's predicted that Orthodox Judaism would soon disappear. Look Magazine in 1964 ran a famous cover story entitled "The Vanishing Orthodox Jew." At this point, there are more than two million Orthodox Jews worldwide (including Chareidi and Modern Orthodox Jews) and the once popular Look Magazine has vanished. Moreover, Orthodox Jewry is the only Jewish religious group that is increasing in numbers. It is growing at a very high rate and is vital and vigorous with many new institutions opening each year. We must emphasize that this is entirely counterintuitive. One would think the less demanding versions of Judaism that are more in harmony with contemporary values would thrive (in truth this was the argument of the reform movement). Nonetheless, specifically the most demanding and most traditional version of Judaism is the most successful version of Judaism in the twenty first century. Indeed, the enduring version of Judaism is the authentic form of Judaism [1].
Special Providence to great Torah Scholars - the Vilna Gaon for example reportedly achieved superhuman levels of Torah wisdom as explained here and here. More recently, it is reported in the book "HaSod" by (Y. Hershkowitz) about Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv that his grasp of the entire spectrum of Talmud depth was miraculous. He was able to answer the most complicated halachic questions instantly, even those intertwined in multiple complex sections in the Talmud over many tractates. Many times the head judge of the Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem was asked to rule on such complicated questions. He would answer: I can research this and give you an answer in several days, or you can go to Rabbi Elyashiv and get a fully reliable answer instantly.
Special Providence to Kollel Students - this is something I've witnessed first hand. In our times, there is tremendous divine assistance to anyone who chooses to learn torah full time. This is especially so in Israel where the divine providence is felt more intensely (see Deut.11:12 "The eyes of the L-ord your G-d are always upon the land, from the beginning of the year to the end"). Speak to anyone learning at the Mir Yeshiva and others there. They will tell you amazing stories of how they are living on miracles.
The Tzadikim - those who have had the merit and opportunity of meeting with the Tzadikim (righteous Torah sages) of the generation know that even today, we can find shadows of "prophecy". See some incredible accounts of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu here.
Timeless Truth of Torah Teachings - the timeless values of the Torah's teachings are universally recognized by all good people. Love your fellow as yourself, helping the poor, etc. The Jews are the guardians of that which is good and moral, right and true. Furthermore, the Torah system works. In Israel, there is so little crime in Sabbath observant cities that it does not warrant having a police department there. R.Yosef Dayan zt'l, kabalist
Likewise, the top leaders chosen are almost always the greatest Torah scholars of the generation for presumably the Torah has purified them to the greatest extent. Indeed those who have met the great Torah sages can testify that they are men of noble character, great inner strength, and wellsprings of vast wisdom. This indicates that there lies the true path.. The Torah testifies on Moses himself that he was the humblest man on the face of the earth (Num.12:3). see here amazing words. On this the Rambam writes (Igeret Teyman):
"There is no comparison between our religion and the other religions who wish to imitate us. It is like the difference between a living, aware, human being versus a statue cut out of wood or moulded from metal, i.e. from silver or gold, or chiselled from a block of stone or marble until it was in the form of a man. The fool who does not recognize divine wisdom and does not know sculpturer skill sees the statue in its superficial appearance of man and thinks it is the same as a man. For he does not know the interior of both. But the wise man, who knows the interior of each one knows that the interior of the statue has no wisdom while the interior of man has wondrous true wisdom and engineering which reflects divine wisdom. When he studies the muscles, tendons which cause his movements, and the various organs, etc. and his joints, etc. etc. everything in its proper place and function...
So too, is the difference between the fool who does not know the inner meaning of the holy writings and the commandments. When he wants to compare our religion with that of other fake religions thinks there is some similarity between them. For he sees in both of them things permitted and forbidden, procedures and ceremonies, etc. But if he knew the interior of the divine religion (Judaism), that it contains things which lead to perfection of man and protection from the opposite, and to virtuous traits and perfect wisdoms, for the masses according to their ability and the special individuals according to theirs... while those religions who would pretend to be like ours have no internal content, only stories and imaginations invented by their founders for his own glory.. until the matter is a joke and a mockery just like people laugh when they see an ape dressed up to act like a human being..."
Jewish Home - one striking example of the benefit of a Torah lifestyle is the dramatically lower incidence of divorce among observant Jews than among non-observant Jews. A Torah lifestyle which include adherence to the discipline of Taharat Hamishpachah (Niddah) and "forced vacations" on Shabbat and Yom Tov is most conducive to creating a content married and family life. Considering that most of life's happiness or misery hinges on the success of one's marriage, Orthodox Jewry's far lower incidence of divorce is a fact of monumental importance[1].
Intricate Laws - anyone who has studied Jewish law will find there are myriad details of laws in every precept. The laws of the Sabbath for example contain an enormous array of intricate details many of which depend solely on invisible thoughts. So too for just about every precept. Even just the wood used for roasting the passover lamb contains an array of intricate details. Who in his right mind would sit down and make up all these laws with such extraordinary nit-picky details. Can they have any purpose other than to test man to develop his connection with G-d?
The laws of Shmita - "And the L-ord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying.. in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest a Sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard.." (Lev. 25:1-23). why is mount Sinai mentioned by this commandment? Because from here it is apparent that the torah was given at Sinai[7]. For every seventh year everyone in Israel is commanded to stop working the land for a whole year. G-d promises to provide a bumper crop prior to the seventh year to sustain the people. Furthermore, in the Jubilee year this would amount to two consecutive years where no one in the entire country planted anything. What human in his right mind would fabricate such a claim and risk mass starvation? (if this were for agricultural reasons, it would not be necessary to stop all the land simultaneously and it would be crazy to promise a bumper crop after six straight years of harvesting the land. Normally, the opposite happens after 6 straight years. Yet the torah says: "And if you should say, 'What will we eat in the seventh year? We will not sow, and we will not gather in our produce?!' I will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will yield produce for three years" (Lev.25:20-21). Obviously, only G-d can promise this supernatural promise for all generations. And even in our times when Shmita is only a Rabbinical commandment, stories abound from Shmita observant Israeli farmers. search for "shmita stories" for more.
The Three Festivals - three times a year, every year during the temple era, all Jewish males are commanded to leave their homes and go to Jerusalem for the festivals. G-d openly promised: "Nobody will desire your land while you are going up to greet the L-ord your G-d three times in the year." (Ex 34:24) Who else could make such a claim but G-d? No human being in his right mind would make up such a law, leaving his army vulnerable to being encircled and easily massacred. It turns out it proved true that no foreign nation ever came up to take the land of the Jews during their festivals prior to the destruction of Jerusalem 400+ years later.
Note also that according to the Torah Law (Talmud Pesachim 8b), G-d even promised that all this time you are away no wild animals (wolves, foxes, etc.) will attack your animals and chickens. Who would make up such a promise and risk being flat out contradicted by everyone?
Tzarat - another of many examples of laws which make absolutely no sense whatsoever in any shape or form from a human logic perspective is Tzarat. These are usually translated as a form of leprosy like skin disease. The Torah requires quarantining those afflicted outside the walled cities. It seems like simple disease control, right? But the Torah shoots out a bizarre rule - if a person is afflicted from head to toe, i.e. all of his flesh is completely covered with this Tzarat disease, then he is considered pure (Lev 13:13) and no quarantining is needed. What human being in his right mind would make up such laws?
The Sotah (Numb.5) is a woman, who by her suspicious behavior with another man is strongly suspected by her husband of infidelity. If he warns her before witnesses to desist but she continues her suspicious behavior and is caught by witnesses, she must either establish her innocence or divorce without collecting money of her marriage contract. To establish her innocence, she must go to the Temple in Jerusalem and drink a cup of water in which the Name of G-d was dissolved by the Kohen (priest). The Torah promises that if she is guilty, the Sotah water will miraculously cause her belly to explode and her leg to rupture (the agents of sin). If she is innocent, it will heal her and improve her. What kind of human being would make up such a law? If you say, well maybe the Kohen checks it out and poisons the water so that it looks like a miracle. Nice theory, but the Oral Law teaches that the man whom she had an affair with also dies the same miraculous death wherever he is located at the time she drinks the water (as hinted in Numbers 5:22, see Rashi there). The Talmud reports a case, where an adulteress sent her twin sister to drink. Being innocent, she passed the ordeal unscathed. But after coming home she kissed her sister in joy, a remnant of water touched her guilty sister's lips and she exploded on the spot. Oops!
Love of Truth - no other race or group has a chronicle about themselves that paints them in such a poor light. All the other man-made chronicles just go on and on as to how great their people and leaders are compared to others. The Torah is humbling. It does not cover up the embarrassing mistakes and failures of the stiff-necked Jews and even their greatest leaders. Moses was admonished and punished several times by G-d in the Torah. How many times in the Koran is something derogatory said about Mohammad? How many times in the "new testament" is something derogatory said about Jesus? zero. see here for more. Furthermore, we see the Jews were slaves in Egypt. This is a history no nation would like to accept. The Torah reports the Jews' building the golden calf, despite all the miracles they witnessed. This is an embarrassing flaw we would not dare put on the nation. Likewise, all the times they rebelled against G-d despite all the benefits received. These are things we would have erased from our history books - unless they were true.
Compassion - Yousef Alawnah, A Jordanian journalist who was jailed in Israel told a Saudi TV outlet in June 2018 that he was ashamed to compare the dire conditions in prisons in the Arab world to the far more impressive conditions in Israeli jails. He spent 30 months in an Israeli prison for smuggling explosives and told Saudi 24 it was like being incarcerated in an "institute of education", where inmates were given "an opportunity to acquire culture, to read and to study many things." He said: "I am ashamed by [the comparison] between Israeli and Arab prisons". Alawnah was particularly impressed with the extensive prison libraries in Israel; he told the interviewer they also had books in Arabic. "They have all the important books, history books, and even books against Israel and against Zionism. Even Hitler's Mein Kampf is there..". source. What other nation has such compassion and love of truth?
False Prophet - in the era of prophecy (temple times), if an extremely pious and extremely wise Torah sage claimed to be a prophet, he must first be put to a few tests (Rambam Yesodei Torah 10:1). If any minute detail of his predictions in G-d's name does not occur, he is deemed a false prophet and must be executed (Deut 18:22). There is a specific commandment not to fear executing a false prophet. It does not matter if he can perform miracles or is the high priest or even the king of Israel. If the Torah were made up by false prophets, it would not make sense to enact such a law.
Noble Teachings - contrary to popular belief, Judaism is an equal opportunity religion. No other religion puts all human beings on such a high pedestal: "in the image of G-d, He created man" (Gen 1:27). Tana D'Bei Eliyahu (Elijah the prophet): "I testify on myself heaven and earth, whether man or woman, whether gentile or Jew, whether slaveman or slavewoman, everyone according to his actions, the Ruach Hakodesh (Divine spirit) will dwell on him". The Torah is open to all human beings and exhorts each and every one of them to strive for the highest moral excellence. Before Judaism, the pagan religions taught that G-d needs "help" from man. Bring me human sacrifices, bring me food, etc. Judaism came and taught that G-d needs nothing from man. Everything is for man. All G-d wants is that man be moral and treat his fellow kindly.
Hashgachah Pratis (Divine providence) - everyday stories from life; both from the lives of others and from one's own life. If a person pays close attention to what happens around him, he cannot help but note the Hand of G-d in so many events in our lives. There is no need to elaborate here. Included in this category is the siyata d'shmaya (divine help) one merits to see when resolving to follow the Torah. Every Baal Teshuva (newly observant Jew) can testify to the divine help they tangibly feel from upstairs when undertaking to become Torah observant.
Youth and Vitality - the Jews are an ancient people, a people very old, but also very young, like the Land of Israel, an ancient land, but a young new land in our own days.
This vitality of the Jews existed since their earliest beginning, as written: "The children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and increased and became very very strong, and the land became filled with them" (Exodus 1:7). We are seeing this today also in New Jersey where the orthodox Jews are swarming and taking over rapidly. An organization called "Rise Up Ocean County" was started to stop Orthodox families from buying real estate in the towns surrounding Lakewood. Likewise in Israel, the orthodox are taking over neighborhoods rapidly and this has irked the secular residents.
Note that This blessing of fruitfulness was also given to the children of Yishmael (ancestor of the arabs) as the torah predicts: "And regarding Yishmael, I have heard you; behold I have blessed him, and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him exceedingly.. and I will make him into a great nation" (Genesis 17:21). We are witnessing now the arabs quickly taking over Europe and other places.
On Eagles' Wings - in the torah: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I carried you on eagles' wings, and I brought you to Me" (Exodus 19:4). The eagle, majestic as it is, is not a Kosher bird. Why would G-d relate the Exodus to a non-kosher animal? In the book "Em Habanim Semecha" (3:18, 2:23), Rabbi Yissachar Teichtal (1885-1945) answers that this verse is alluding to our times (note the double language. It could have simply said instead:'I carried you on eagles' wings to me')". The Zionist Jews which were G-d's messenger to redeem our scattered exile will not appear to be Kosher, but we should nonetheless realize that it is divinely sent, and it is a sign that our time of redemption is near. Interestingly, the passenger airplane began to be common at about the same time as the establishment of the state of Israel. In 1949, 50,000 Jews were hastily airlifted from Yemen to Israel in the first wave of immigration. Coincidence?
Prayer - if a person prays regularly to G-d, he will see G-d answer him. That does not mean that every prayer is answered, but it does mean that if we turn to G-d regularly, we see totally unexpected turns of events that can only be attributed to prayer. This can be seen (sometimes even more vividly) with regard to the prayers of others as well.
The prayer of a Tzibur (congregation) carries more weight that that of a Yachid (individual), and its effects are equally more evident. The prayer of a great Tzadik (righteous man) can perform miracles even in our times as is well known of the Baba Sali and many other great Tzadikim.
Jewish Martyrs - for every Jew alive today, dozens of his ancestors preferred persecution over giving up his faith. Many of these Jews were willing to die in gruesome ways rather than give up their religion. This indicates their belief in Sinai, etc. was deeply rooted and felt strongly in their inner soul. Indeed the Midrash says all Jewish souls were present at Sinai.
Unique Concurrence - from the very fact that there are so many heated disagreements between Jewish groups, and even within each group there are disagreements, yet they all concur on the essential beliefs in Judaism, it must be true. For example, (besides believing in Torah from Sinai and in Moshe Rabeinu and things like that) there is no group within Jews who use less than 10 men for a Minyan; There is no group that does not make Kiddush on the Sabbath (except if it's Yom Kippur); A big one is, the fact that even though the Torah says about the month of Nissan "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months" (Ex.12:2) and there is a disagreement (between R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua) if the world was created in Nissan or in Tishrei, yet you will not find a Jew who will tell you that Rosh Hashanah is the first day of Nissan (Meir Zirkind).
Likewise, all orthodox Jews have the same Torah scroll. There is no Chasidic torah scroll, Sefardic Torah scroll, Ashkenazic, Yemenite, Iraqi, etc. All are the same despite the long exile and vast physical distance between Jewish communities.
Hardest People to Convince - similar to above, when early Christianity or Islam spread, it was enough to threaten the host population with punishments or death in order to force all of them to accept the new religion. This is not so for the Jews. Countless Jews gave up their lives over the centuries rather than renounce their belief in their religion. Indeed the Jewish people are the most difficult people to convince. Nearly every page of the Talmud is filled with arguments. The intense arguments persist with great vigor throughout the period of the Rishonim (post-talmudic) and continue with the myriad of debate concerning the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch. Until this very day an excellent Shiur (talmud class) and Yeshiva are distinguished by intense debate and argument. One could argue that it is for this reason G-d chose the Jewish People, the stiff-necked people, to be His witnesses (Isaiah 43:10). If such an argumentative and contentious people report on the veracity of the Sinai revelation despite the extensive demands it makes upon its adherents, then it certainly must be true.[1]
Kohen DNA - genetic tests among male Kohens shows they share a different probability distribution compared to the rest of the Jewish population in the world. Researchers also found that the probabilities appeared to be shared by both Sephardic and Ashkenazi Cohens. See here or here for more.
Hebrew Alphabet - there are signs that Hebrew is the source of all languages. For example, the first four letters are "Aleph", "Beit", "Gimmel", "Dalet", and in ancient Greek it is: "Alpha", "Beita", "Gamma", "Delta". In english: "A, B, C, D". See the book "Hebrew Source of Languages" by Rabbi Glazerson.
Proof is in the Pudding - most importantly, Rabbi S.R. Hirsch says a "proof is in the pudding" type of argument, namely if you keep the mitzvos (commandments) it will become clear to you through your experiences that you are involved in something higher. It need not be explained - you will feel it, if you are keeping the mitzvot properly. This experience is an experience of G-dliness, and is the best "proof" of His existence. This is quoted in Dayan Grunfeld's introduction to Horeb. src. Speak to anybody who has been learning in a traditional Yeshiva delving into the depths of the Gemara (talmud). There is no better proof than finishing ten blatt (pages) of Gemara properly, with the Rishonim and Achronim. Likewise for reciting the daily 100 blessings with intent. The foundation of emuna (Jewish faith) is not logical proofs but rather experiencing G-dliness in one's life through torah study and performance of the Mitzvot (commandments). Indeed people will not change their ways due to any amount of logical proofs. Change comes only from experiencing G-dliness and nothing less than having a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe.
And in Ethics of the Fathers: "Ten who sit together and occupy themselves with Torah, the Divine Presence rests amongst them...from where do we know that such is the case even with a single individual? From the verse: 'In every place that My name is mentioned, I will come to you and bless you' (Ex.20:21)" - One can tangibly feel this as an experience of G-dliness. The root cause of disbelief and atheism, etc. is simply a disconnection from G-d. A person sees the world the way he is. If a person is disconnected from G-d, he will see everything in a physical, materialistic way regardless of all the gigantic holes in this world-view.
