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On June 16. 2010 (Avodah Digest, Vol 27, Issue 131) I posted some
comments about what I termed "miracle" stories. My motivation
for this post was the fact that the Hamodia Magazine had published a
story about a young man who received a liver transplant in Belgium
because flights were cancelled due to the eruption of a volcano in
Iceland. I indicated that I am not in favor of what I consider a
preoccupation with "miracle" stories. I consider this an
important issue, and this is the reason for this post. YL<br><br>
The Hamodia Magazine published my letter expressing my views on
"miracle" stories. It may be read at
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/2wwmp4n" eudora="autourl">
http://tinyurl.com/2wwmp4n</a> and I included this link in my post.
<br><br>
In this week's Hamodia Magazine there is a response to my letter by A. C.
Carmell. I have posted this letter at
<a href="http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/hamodia/volcano_response.pdf" eudora="autourl">
http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/hamodia/volcano_response.pdf</a><br>
<br>
I then wrote another letter to the Editor of the Hamodia Magazine.
<br><br>
<font size=3>To the Editor:<br><br>
I read with surprise A. C. Carmell's letter in this week's Hamodia
Magazine that criticizes my letter that appeared in last week's Magazine
under the heading <b>More on Volcanos and Miracles</b>. <br><br>
My surprise is not because he or she does not agree with me, but because
I would have thought that the Hamodia Magazine would have given me the
opportunity to respond to A. C. Carmell's letter before it appeared.
Should not one have the opportunity to respond to his critics,
particularly when the criticism aimed at him is made public?<br><br>
Be this as it may, let me point out the following. A neighbor of mine has
first hand knowledge of the incident in question. She told me that she is
not at all happy about the way this incident was portrayed both by the
Hamodia and other publications. "The volcano is only one small piece
of the story. To focus on it and exclude all of the other things that
occurred is an injustice." <br><br>
A. C. Carmel wrote, "It takes a lifetime of contemplation of
the words of the Ramban to achieve this (appreciating acts of Hashgacha
Pratis). The countless incidents of clear hashgacha one encounters in his
lifetime are what bring home to him vividly the fact that Hashem really
does rule the affairs of the world."<br><br>
I certainly agree with this. However, these incidents have to be
<b>clear</b> hashgacha, not some partial recounting of a story that
leaves out the essence of what occurred and focuses on "one small
piece of the story." Unless one has the entire picture, one
runs the risk of focusing on the Tofel and ignoring the Ikar.
More often than not the stories that are circulated are not based on hard
facts and, even if they are, probably do not give the entire
picture. Indeed, how are we to get the entire picture unless we
have first hand knowledge and/or speak with someone who has this
knowledge? <br><br>
On the other hand, the miracle of a baby being born is, in my opinion, a
<b>clear </b>miracle that is verified every time it occurs. Why focus on
stories that may have questionable authenticity and/or leave out key
parts of what happened when one has all of the daily miracles that occur
in our lives?<br><br>
Professor Yitzchok Levine<br><br>
</font>My oldest son, Rabbi Dovid Levine, after reading my letter and A.
C. Carmell's letter, sent me the following which I have also sent to the
Hamodia.<br><br>
<font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2 color="#0000FF">Hi Abba,<br>
<br>
This letter is misguided and it is a strong support for your position.
Instead of clarifying, the writer muddles, confuses, and misleads. His
position reflects the mistaken, lazy approach to emunah prevalent. The
Ramban says clearly that Hashem will NOT make miracles in every
generation. That is why we have many reminders of Yetzias Mitzrayim, the
major event that showed His hashgachah openly operating outside the laws
of nature. By studying, reviewing, reinforcing, commemorating that
singular event, we come to emunah that Hashem is mashgiach and controls
everything. Why commemorate an event from 3000 years ago if we can just
open the Hamodia and read articles about “open miracles” of nature
obeying Hashem’s will?<br>
<br>
Indeed, the way to increase emunah is to study this Ramban and all the
other sources about emunah repeatedly, constantly, in depth. Rambam,
Chovos HaLevavos, Sefer HaIkarim, Ramchal, down to Sifsei Chaim
<a href="http://www.feldheim.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=978-159826-227-8">
Faith and Divine Providence</a> (Feldheim translation of Emunah
V’Hashgacha volume 1) in our generation. We also need to view every event
we experience through that lens, and make choices that conform to that
perspective. That is emunah in action, otherwise known as bitachon
(Chazon Ish Emunah U’Bitachon Sec. 2). We will not reach emunah and
bitachon by repeating feel-good tales, which only credit the warm and
fuzzy experiences to Hashem. People tell these stories, and LOSE their
faith when they experience that real life is not a Just-So story, that
Hashem does not answer every prayer. Bad happens to good people, and most
of the effects of volcanoes give us reason to cry, not rejoice. These
stories weaken our faith that ALL events, good and bad, come from Hashem.
I merited pulling a sickly young man from the brink of apikorsus bez”H by
forcing him to accept that indeed his life is hell, and that Hashem,
whose ways are inscrutable, created that hell for him. I think these
stories weaken emunah. The Chazon Ish was insistent that bitachon means
everything is in Hashem’s control, not that everything will turn out
good. He calls “positive payoff” bitachon an old, mistaken belief.
(Emunah U’Bitachon Sec. 2)<br>
<br>
Chazal indeed fixed a blessing for parents to make on the birth of a
child – Shehechiyanu or Hatov v'hamativ. We also say Elokai Neshamah and
Mechaye HaMeisim each morning to thank Hashem for keeping us alive. At
weddings, we bless Hashem “Who formed man”. We thank Hashem daily for
vision, clothes, bodily functions, and intelligence, none of which is an
open miracle. On the other hand, “One who recites Hallel everyday is
mecharef and megadef - blasphemes and reproaches [the Divine Name]”
(Shabbos 118b). This is because such a person does not display a
differentiation between Teva and nes. If every day is a Hallel day, he
precludes the demonstration that on certain days Hashem suspended nature.
This, in essence, says Hashem CANNOT suspend nature. See Rashi and
Maharsha. Rather, the Gemara continues, one should say Pesukei D'Zimrah
every day. This “Hallel” reflects on all of nature doing Hashem’s
will.<br>
<br>
Another Gemara (Berachos 33b and Megillah 25a) states that we silence one
who says, “Recall Hashem’s name for the good He does”. By focusing solely
on the good, this person suggests that he does not associate His name
with bad. We need to bless G-d for both good and bad. The constant
barrage of stories of “good” hashgachah goes against this principle. When
was the last time you read an article or heard someone express how
bashert it was that something DID NOT work out how he or she wanted? “I
had to park four blocks away from the store and walk in the pouring rain
only to find the store was out of the product I needed. It’s “mamesh” min
Hashomayim!” (The stories in which one sees in retrospect how everything
was for the best do not count.)<br>
<br>
The sad error of this person’s thinking is obvious in his words: “Stories
of hashgachah don't create such a burden because one can always attribute
them to chance -minhago shel alam, Hashem's regular way of running the
world, if one feels that Hashem wouldn't do something like that for a
particular individual.” This borders on kefirah. WE ASSIGN NOTHING TO
CHANCE. There are different arrangements in which Hashem decides what
should happen to a person (for example hashgacha kelalis and peratis),
and He has different methods of imposing that hashgachah, but there is no
“chance”. Such a statement results from a superficial understanding of
darkei Hashem, which stems in part from relying on hashgachah pratis
columns for our understanding of emunah rather than learning the sources
in depth.<br>
<br>
The issue is subtle and refined, and needs more intense thought than most
people are willing to invest. People are also strongly influenced by the
media bent toward feel-good stories designed to increase readership and
suggest an aura of righteousness. Who wants to read that their lives may
not turn out as rosy as they wish, and that hashgachah is almost never
obvious?<br>
<br>
May we merit to have and to influence the world to have true emunah.<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Rage Italic" size=4 color="#0000FF">Dovid<br><br>
<br>
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