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Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Nature of a Miracle

I was discussing with someone in the Beit Midrash the Rambam's explanation of Miracles in Moreh Nevuchim. The Rambam basically argues that Hashem integrated into nature all Miracles that would ever be needed in the world and that a miracle is basically part of the natural system of the world.

I pointed out that many Rishonim and Achronim disagree with the Rambam on this point. There is one Achron that agrees, however, and ironically it is the Baal Shem Tov. The Baal Shem Tov taught, just like the Rambam, that there is no divide between the natural and the miraculous realm. Instead of integrating the miraculous into the natural, however, he integrates the natural into the miraculous.