Miracle on Tish’ah B’Av: Earthquake In Lebanon – A Testament To Divine Protection

 

On a day that carries deep historical significance, the 9th of Av (Tish’ah B’Av), a 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck northern Lebanon, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremor, which originated 10 kilometers below the Earth's surface, occurred on the very day Iran's proxy, Hezbollah, had vowed to exact retaliation in commemoration of the destruction of the Jewish Temple hoping this day is of bad luck to the Jewish nation and one when they would be able to overcome Israel. It is said that Tish’ah B’Av is a day when G-d was angry at the Jews. Haman made this miscalculation by choosing the day Moses died as a day of bad luck to the Jews also hoping that G-d would let him succeed in destroying the Jewish nation on that day.

However, this timely seismic event cannot be casually dismissed as mere coincidence; it appears to bear the unmistakable hand of Divine Providence.

One does not need to be a professional geologist to comprehend the destruction potential of a deep underground quake of such magnitude. With minimal surface impact but without a doubt this caused significant physical underground damage as well as a psychological one.

The disturbance below the earth functioned effectively to distract and destabilize, preempting any potential attacks planned for Tish’ah B'Av with it most likely destroying Hezbollah underground networks and buried its soldiers underground.

 

ה׳ ילחם לכם ואתם תחרישון

- Divine Defense Strategy

In a statement, the Israeli military highlighted their evolving strategies for counterterrorism, which include identifying and destroying underground tunnels before addressing threats on the surface. Intriguingly, this earthquake seems almost serendipitously aligned with these proactive defense measures, hinting at a higher power intervening on behalf of the Jewish nation.

A Message To Iran And The World

In Jewish tradition, there is a concept of “Midah k'neged midah,” or justice delivered measure for measure. This was exemplified in the biblical narrative when the Egyptians, who had drowned Jewish infants, were themselves drowned in the Red Sea. The parallels are striking—an enemy seeks to destroy Israel, and in turn, faces sudden, divine retribution.

Iran's president recently tweeted before his death in Hebrew, boasting that with G-d’s help using the words, “B’zrat Hashem,” they would destroy Israel. However, this assertion appears to have been met with a poignant response from the very divinity they invoked by striking Israel from the air with hundreds of missiles G-d retaliated in the exact same way by bringing the Iranian president’s end by striking him from the air when his helicopter crashed resulting in his death.

So, Iran went back to the planning board and thought they could use a day of bad luck for the Jews to succeed in destroying the Jewish nation, however G-d’s intervention seems to have taken the form of this well-timed earthquake, sending a clear message: “With My help? Let Me show you what that means.”

This served as a divine message mirroring the Book of Esther, where Haman’s evil calculations backfired. By choosing Tish’ah B’Av, a day of mourning, both Iran and other adversaries have historically miscalculated the significance of Jewish mourning days, believing them to be moments of vulnerability. However, they fail to realize the dual nature of these days. Just as Moses was born on the day associated with his death, it was also the day he was born. Moses was the redeemer of the Jewish nation that is translated as good luck. Iran chose Tish’ah B’Av — a day of lamentation for the destruction of the Temples and a day to attack but miscalculated that this same day also holds the promise of future redemption and rebuilding.

There is no doubt how a 10-kilometer-deep earthquake in the exact Northern border of Lebanon where the attacks on Israel were imminent to be launched by Hezbollah most definitely created an astronomical underground shake possibly destroyed critical supplies and infrastructure and weapons, hindering any immediate threat to Israel and prevented an attack on the Jewish nation.

This modern-day miracle serves as an unmistakable sign of G-d’s continuous role in the world, protecting His children and thwarting their enemies with a precision that defies human understanding.

This event teaches us a profound lesson: even in our times, divine protection is ever-present, guiding the fate of nations and ensuring that the Jewish people remain safeguarded against all adversaries. Let us all unite and thank Hashem for this open miracle and pray for the redemption of the Jewish nation.

By Duvi Honig
Founder and CEO, Orthodox Jewish Chamber Of Commerce / J-biz Expo