It’s a question that’s echoed throughout Jewish tradition, and Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, offers a pretty amazing perspective.

It all starts with a verse from II Samuel (23:3): “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: The ruler over people [is a righteous one, ruling through the fear of God].” But what does "ruling through the fear of God" really mean? Devarim Rabbah asks, what's so special about a righteous person?

The answer? Incredibly, the righteous, "as it were, rule over what the Holy One blessed be He rules." It’s a bold statement. How can a human being, even the most righteous, possibly share in God's dominion?

The text explains it through a series of striking parallels: "Everything that the Holy One blessed be He does, the righteous do." It's not about usurping God's power, but about emulating God's actions in the world, becoming partners in acts of kindness and healing.

Think about it. The Holy One remembers the barren and grants them children. And who else do we know who brought hope to the childless? The prophet Elisha. As the story goes, he remembered the Shunamite woman, and, as we read in II Kings (4:16), declared, "At this time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son."

The Holy One revives the dead. And Elisha? He revived the Shunamite woman's son! (II Kings 4:32–36).

These parallels continue. The Holy One splits seas, enabling passage from the impossible. And both Elijah and Elisha also split bodies of water. We see this in II Kings (2:14): "Even he, as he struck the water, it split here and there."

The Holy One heals without needing bandages. And Elisha healed Naaman of his leprosy without any medicine (II Kings 5:14–15).

The Holy One sweetens bitter water. Elisha did the same, as we find in II Kings (2:20–22): "He said: Bring me a new bottle, [and put salt there…. He went to the water source, and he cast salt there, and said: So said the Lord: I have cured this water]…The water was cured."

Then there's the control over the elements. The Holy One halts rain, and Elijah, too, could stop the heavens from opening, declaring, "As the Lord [of hosts]…lives, there shall be neither dew nor rain" (I Kings 17:1). And just as the Holy One brings rain, the prophet Samuel called upon the Lord and caused rain to fall (I Samuel 12:17).

Finally, the dramatic image of fire from the heavens. The Holy One causes fire to descend, and Elijah mirrored this power, calling down fire to consume the burnt offering (I Kings 18:38).

What are we to make of all this? It's not about diminishing God's role, but about elevating humanity's potential. The tzaddikim, the righteous ones, become conduits for divine action in the world. They demonstrate that we, too, can participate in acts of healing, compassion, and even miraculous intervention.

Devarim Rabbah isn't just telling us about historical figures. It’s challenging us. It’s asking us: what can we do to emulate these acts? How can we become partners with the Divine in bringing more good into the world? It's a powerful reminder that even in our own ordinary lives, we have the potential to make a real difference, to bring a little bit of the divine into the everyday. And maybe, just maybe, that's the most miraculous thing of all.