Chasidut for Avodah Zarah 108:14

Praying for a miracle is only a burden for God when it is done publicly, in front of someone who lacks faith. From God’s perspective, there really is no difference between natural and miraculous governance. God constantly rules over nature, and recreates the world each and every day. It is just that God concealed His governance in nature in order that one would not see how the glory of His sovereignty rules over it. In the language of the Zohar, this attribute is called, “having no eyes” (Mishpatim, 95a). The Gemara explains this by means of a parable (Avoda Zara, 54b): “Suppose a man stole a measure of wheat and sowed it in the ground; it is right that it should not grow;³⁷³Since it was acquired illegally, one would not expect G-d to help it grow, yet G-d does; thus, giving priority to the natural world over miraculous intervention. See Rashi on Bereshis 7:4, who states that the people of Noah’s time “burdened G-d” by making Him form fetuses that were conceived through adulterous relationships. See next note. however, the world pursues its natural course and as for the fools who act wrongly, they will have to render an account before God.” Study this matter carefully.³⁷⁴Our Rabbis taught: Philosophers asked the elder Sages in Rome, “If your God has no desire for idolatry, why does He not abolish it?” They replied, “If people worshipped something that the world did not need, He would abolish it. However, people worship the sun, moon, stars and planets. Should He destroy the universe on account of fools! The world follows its natural course, and as for the fools who act wrongly, they will have to render an account [on the Day of Judgment]. Another illustration: Suppose a man stole a measure of wheat and sowed it in the ground; it is right that it should not grow, but the world pursues its natural course and as for the fools who act wrongly, they will have to render an account. Another illustration: Suppose a man has intercourse with his neighbor’s wife; it is right that she should not conceive, but the world pursues its natural course and as for the fools who act wrongly, they will have to render an account.” This is similar to what R. Simeon b. Lakish said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, declared, It is not enough that the wicked put My coinage to vulgar use, but they also trouble Me and compel Me to set My seal upon it!” The whole purpose of letting the world run according to its natural course and not subverting nature every time someone violates the Divine order of justice is to give man the choice to serve God, for serving God in the darkness, out of his own free will, is all the more valuable. This is as it is written in the Zohar (Tetsave, 184a): “Man only serves God through the darkness.” For this reason, G-d concealed His governance so that man cannot see how He rules the world. If God’s governance were totally revealed, man’s free choice would be nullified. Therefore, a person who believes, with perfect faith in God, that nature also runs according to God’s governance, and fixes this faith permanently in his heart, believing and knowing that when a fire is lit it only happens according to specific Divine providence, such a person presents no burden before God whatsoever. (And, as we explained in the introduction, a person with complete faith in God’s providence experiences this providence in everything that happens.) This is as it Rav Hanina ben Dosa said, “The One who causes oil to burn can make vinegar burn.”³⁷⁵One Friday eve, Rav Chanina ben Dosa noticed that his daughter was sad and asked her why. She answered, “My oilcan got mixed up with my vinegar can and I kindled of it the Shabbat light.” He said to her, “My daughter, why should this trouble you? He who had commanded the oil to burn will also command the vinegar to burn.” Tradition has it that the light burned the entire day, until they took from it flame for havdalah (Saturday night). Rav Hanina ben Dosa could say this, and experience the miracle of the vinegar burning for the whole Shabbat, without placing a burden upon Heaven.