Salty Enemies

In the last post we mentioned that salt has positive effects in preserving and enhancing food and it also contains negative elements which can erode and destroy other properties.  The Netziv understands this idea reflects hashgacha pratis.  Had everything just been black and white, pure good or evil, there would be no room for the average person that has elements of both. Now that Hashem created things of dycotimy it leaves room for the middle of the road folk.  "משא״כ עתה מגיע השתלשלות הענינים משעה רעה לתכלית הטוב מצומצם לפי המעשים בהשגחתו יתברך כמה יאריכון ימי הרעה ואיך תהי הרבה או מעט עד שבא לידי תכלית הטוב הבא באחרית הימים של חשך. מש״ה ברא הקב״ה הליכות הטבע בזה האופן. "  He says that is why we are instructed to offer salt with the korbanot, " כדי להתבונן על הברית של ההשגחה."  

At the end of Beshalach right before the attack of Amalak it says (17:7) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־י״י֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ י״י֛ בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃.  The Netziv asks הדבר פלא, איך נסתפקו אחרי רואם עמוד אש וענן ועוד הרבה ניסים, דכולי עלמא ידעי דלא עביד אלא קוב״ה. וגם כבר כתיב ״ויאמינו בה׳ ובמשה עבדו״, how could they be in doubt if Hashem is with them after all the miracles they witnessed?  He answers that they understood Hashem does miracles to direct the course of history to work out but is Hashem with me in my private problems?  In the run of the mill דרך הטבע trials and tribulations will Hashem get me through them?  He continues that was why Amalek followed.  Amalek denies the hashgacha in the daily running of the world.  Once Klal Yisroel had a doubt about that, it left the door open for Amalek.  And that is why the battle had to be one through natural means to demonstrate this hashgacha.  Klal Yisroel had to be reminded of the salt, of the hashgacha that exists not just in an overt fashion but it guiding the natural events.  This is the story of the Megillah.  There is no mention of the name of Hashem, there is no obvious open miracle.  It is a case of where Hashem guides the events through nature to garuntee a successfull outrcome.