שופטים, פרק ו׳, פסוק ל״ח

Gideon seeks reassurance before leading his people into battle, asking for a physical sign to confirm his mission. Morning arrives, and his requested sign materializes perfectly, providing the divine backing he desperately needs before stepping into the conflict.

Although the event unfolds exactly as asked, the ground around the fleece is not entirely devoid of moisture. An ancient covenant dictates that dew never completely ceases to fall upon the earth [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Therefore, the miracle at this stage lies in the sheer, unusual volume of dew concentrated solely on the wool. Compared to the soaking fleece, the surrounding earth merely appears dry [מלבי״ם].

This initial wonder remains somewhat close to the natural order. Its primary goal is to encourage Gideon and assure him that God will indeed deliver the nation through him. Yet, because he is destined to achieve victory alone without a massive army, Gideon eventually requires a second, entirely supernatural sign—a dry fleece on wet ground. This subsequent test is necessary to determine if his personal merit is strong enough to trigger an open miracle that completely defies the laws of nature [מלבי״ם].

Questions often arise regarding how Gideon experiences this event, whether as a nighttime prophetic vision or in physical reality. The most probable understanding is that the event occurs while he is fully awake. It is a tangible, physical sign from God designed to firmly build his confidence [רד״ק].

Approaching the heavy, soaked wool, Gideon forcefully presses and wrings it out to extract the absorbed water. The liquid drips and drains from the fleece [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ] in such an astonishing quantity that it completely fills a water bowl [מצודת ציון].