משלי, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ׳

The entire universe, from the hidden depths below the earth to the highest heavens, operates and exists through supreme wisdom and providence. The processes of nature are not random events but tangible expressions of the divine knowledge and will that drive the world. On a basic level, the natural order reveals God's kindness. Through His knowledge, the deep underground springs burst open to provide water for the animals and birds of the earth [אבן עזרא], while the skies release moisture and drops of dew [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Observing this natural system reveals a perfect water cycle, where vapors rise from the depths and return as precipitation, proving that the physical world functions with absolute, calculated intelligence [עמנואל הרומי].

The knowledge that fuels this grand design is understood in several ways. A central approach is that it refers to the wisdom of the Torah, which serves as the essential blueprint used to create and sustain the world [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אלשיך]. Others view this knowledge as a reflection of God's absolute will [ראשון לציון] or as the underlying wisdom embedded in nature and science [עמנואל הרומי]. This deliberate design directly challenges the belief that nature operates on its own as a closed, independent system. Instead, phenomena like flowing springs and falling dew occur solely through the will of God, who constantly oversees and actively operates His world [אמרי דעת]. Furthermore, while God established the earth upon a stable foundation, He retains the power to disrupt the natural order, such as when He split the depths during the Flood. At the same time, He maintains perfectly stable systems, like the descent of dew, which never ceases [ראשון לציון].

In a conceptual sense, water and dew serve as powerful metaphors for the acquisition of wisdom. The breaking of the depths from below represents the knowledge humanity gains by investigating the physical world. In contrast, the dew descending from the skies symbolizes the spiritual abundance and understanding that God grants to people from above. Dew is specifically chosen for this imagery because, unlike heavy drops of rain, it spreads evenly through the air, gently reaching every place that is fit to receive it [רלב״ג]. On a deeper spiritual level, the skies do not merely refer to the visible atmosphere, but to a higher reality known as the third firmament. According to this view, the dew falling from above is not just a weather phenomenon. It hints at a pure, spiritual energy that God will use to revive the dead at the end of days, ultimately bringing humanity to a state of total perfection and eliminating the evil inclination forever [אלשיך].