"The Way of G-d"

Part 2: "Divine Providence"
Chapter 5: "How Divine Providence Works"

Paragraph 6

Now, understand that the selfsame system that G-d set up to manage the universe could be altered -- or even undone -- in a moment, if G-d wants that to happen. Since G-d is beholden to nothing and no one. That explains the many miracles and wonders that G-d brings about when certain states of affairs warrant. And the greatest reason for miracles is to change circumstances that thwart G-d's ultimate goal.

(The truth be known, though, *everything* G-d allows for, instant by instant, is a miracle and wonder. It's our growing used to and blase about it all that takes the "blush" off of things and has us only become moved by great and bold departures.)

The tradition records a sort of "pact" made between G-d and the laws of nature that seems to contradict the whole idea of miracles, though. For we're taught that G-d allowed each element in nature its own domain at creation (see Breishit Rabbah 5:4). But as we'll see, in fact, that *doesn't* contradict the idea of miracles. It just expands upon it. But we'd first have to review a point we'd made before to understand this.

As we'd said, behind each and every entity in the world stands a "transcendent force" that's linked on a vital, mystical level to it (1:5:2).

We're taught that G-d revealed a number of profound things to each transcendent force that we'd love to know about ourselves and our own lives: its true essence, its meaning and role in the grand scheme of things, what it was destined to bring about in the world in the course of history, and its ultimate destiny. The transcendent forces were then able to determine for themselves with all that in hand that *everything* is ultimately for the good, and they were overjoyed.

(An important point to be made here is that indeed each one of us *will* experience this series of revelations in the end, Ramchal assures us elsewhere. This sublime idea is so far beyond the subject at hand that we were reticent to offer it; but we did so in order to encourage and comfort the weak-of-heart, and to grant hope to the despondent.)

But let's return to the idea of miracles in light of all this. We're taught that G-d also showed the transcendent forces behind everything that they'd have to be party to miracles -- or "exceptions to the rules" -- from time to time, for the general good. And they understood and agreed to that. Hence, the notion of miracles was implanted into the laws of nature from the first, and aren't in fact exceptions to the rules so much as *some of the rules themselves*.

The whole process of implementing G-d's will in the world was then set in motion -- going from G-d Himself, to the transcendent forces, to the implementing angels, to all physical phenomena. All was set to implement the ultimate goal and function in an orderly way that also allowed for disorder when called for. And the lot of it was to be brought about in a wide variance of nuance and tone.

This series is dedicated to the memory of Yitzchak Hehrsh ben Daniel, and Sarah Rivka bas Yaakov Dovid.

Subscribe to Ramchal and receive the class via e-mail.