Torah Basics

[Director Michael]

Dear AskNoah team,

First of all, thank you for setting-up such a helpful resource as this forum.

You are welcome! That is what we are here for.

I would appreciate to hear your response to the following question:
A sizable portion of the world's roughly 7 billion population lack believe in the very existence of H-m [HaShem / G-d]

I don't think that this is a fair perspective to take. With the miraculous fall of atheistic communism in the Former Soviet Union countries, the last *major* bastion of official national atheism is communist China and its few vassal countries that are attached to it. But even in communist China, religion is making inroads as the country becomes more capitalistic and communications with the rest of the world are opening up. And in those eastern communist vassal countries, the historical traditions of pagan beliefs among the common people are still very prevalent.  Although the present major eastern religions include idolatry to a greater or lesser extent, even idolators - including pagans - have the concept that there is a "g-d of the gods". So I think it is fair to say that the concept that there is some type of "Super Power" in or over the universe does still encompass a sizable portion of the world population.

and lead lives that are based on egoistic/materialistic inclinations

That is not mutually exclusive to belief in G-d. A person can have a belief even if it is not so internalized that it affects his actions. The classic analogy is a thief who prays for G-d to help him succeed in his act of robbery.

- and, therefore, may bear the consequences of not following H-m's will. At the same time, it may probably be argued that if H-m sent supernatural signs or made people aware of his existence in some other way (similar to the events that are described in the Tanakh - e.g. 1 Kings 18:30-39), this would lead large part of the world's population (who could learn of these events relatively easily given modern means of communication) to amend their ways and lead more righteous lives (and potentially avoid the negative consequences of the egoistic/materialistic lifestyles that they currently have).

This is an incorrect premise. In the example you quoted, the open miracle that occurred motivated the *Jewish people" to repentance. a) They had never really abandoned belief in G-d. They only took on idol worship because it was fashionable among the surrounding nations at that time. b) The other factor is that they had been pushed into official national idolatry by the wicked kings who were ruling at that time. c) The Jewish people have inherent underlying basic faith in G-d, despite occasionally outwardly straying from the true faith.

On the other hand, we see from Biblical history that open miracles from G-d did not have so much of an effect on Gentiles. For example: a) The Egyptians were stricken by a series 10 miraculous national plagues because they defied G-d's word, yet as soon as the Israelites went out in their Exodus, the Egyptians reverted to open rebellion against G-d, and even chased the Israelites into the sea that G-d had split before their eyes. b) Likewise the Amalekites attached the Israelites on the way to Mount Sinai, even though the Israelites were surrounded by clouds of glory and led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. c) There were 10 ongoing open miracles that occurred in the first Holy Temple on a daily basis, yet the Torah Law states that if an *idolator* comes to bring a sacrifice to G-d in the Temple, it must be accepted and offered on his behalf - despite the fact that he maintains and continues in his idolatry! d) The open miracle you cited in 1 Kings 18:30-39 did not arouse any movement of repentance among the surrounding nations. e) Neither did the world-wide miracle when G-d stopped the sun and the moon in the sky for Joshua.

In your view, why did H-m decide not to send any supernatural signs (similar to those described in the Tanach) to (1) convince the unfaitheful of His existence and (2) turn the sizeable part of mankind back to His service (and away from their current wicked ways).

The opposite is true. In the examples above and many others, G-d sent miraculous signs in open view of the unfaithful, who did not turn to the service of G-d in large numbers even when they witnessed His undeniable miracles.
Furthermore, as we have entered the time of the "Footsteps of the Messiah" and the "End of Days", G-d is again showing open miracles to the world. For example:
a) First and foremost, the miraculous continuation and perseverance of the Jewish people, throughout two thousand years of world-wide dispersion and physical and spiritual persecution.
b) The open miracles of the Israeli War of Independence in 1948.
c) The open miracles of the Israeli Six Day War.
d) The open miracles of the Israeli Yom Kippur War.
e) The open miracles that happened in Israel when they were attacked during the First Gulf War.
f) The return of open prophets and miracle-workers among the spiritual leaders of the Jewish people, most noticeably from the time of the Baal Shem Tov: https://asknoah.org/essay/the-baal-shem-tov

What we are also witnessing as we come closer and closer to the coming of the true Messiah speedily in our days, is a modern international Noahide movement:
The lesson is that a real and lasting turn to G-d has to come from *within* the person.
Over just a few decades, some tens of thousands of Gentiles from around the world have embraced true faith in the One True G-d, the G-d of Israel. This is growing, even though it was not precipitated (at least not so much) by any of the particular open miracles that have been witnessed, but rather by a new spiritual awakening to the truth of the Torah of Moses, and the falsehood of any alternative, man-made religions.

Nevertheless, the universal faith and miraculous goodness of the Messianic Era will come into actuality, speedily in our days, as a result of our desire and our efforts to bring it about, since that is G-d's will. Everyone who sincerely follows through by dedicating him/herself to this on a personal, family, community, or national level will accrue significant merit in the eyes of G-d.