Philosophy:Miracles/2

Miracles

Exegetical Approaches

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Miracles Follow the Laws of Nature

Miracles don't contradict the laws of nature. Stories of miracles should be explained in ways that match the laws of nature.

Miracles Have Scientific Explanations

Miracles don't contravene the laws of nature, and can always be explained by physical non-miraculous phenomena. Miracles only appear to be miracles due to fortuitous timing.

Sources:R. Saadia Gaon in Ibn Ezra1Bereshit First Commentary 3:1Bereshit Second Commentary 3:1Bemidbar 22:28About R. Avraham ibn Ezra¹

Examples – Ibn Ezra brings two examples of R. Saadia reinterpreting miracles to follow the laws of nature. These examples are the two cases of speaking animals in Tanakh: the snake in the Garden of Eden (Bereshit 3) and Bilam's donkey (Bemidbar 22). According to R. Saadia, animals are physically lacking the ability to speak, and therefore he explains that angels spoke, pretending to be the animals.

Exceptions – According to Ibn Ezra's understanding of R. Saadia, miracles that contravene the laws of nature can only occur if necessary to prove the truth of a prophet's statement.

What is Natural? R. Saadia views angels as part of nature, and not contravening the laws of nature.²

Miracles Should Be Understood Allegorically

Miracles that contravene the laws of nature did not happen in reality, and stories that speak of them must be understood as allegories, dreams, or prophecies.

Sources:RambamMoreh Nevukhim 2 42Hilkhot Melakhim 12:1About R. Moshe b. Maimon

Examples – The Rambam gives several examples of miracles that need to be understood allegorically.

• Mentions of Angels – According to Rambam, all stories which mention angels appearing or speaking did not happen in real life, but rather were prophetic dreams. These include Avraham's Guests (Bereshit 18), Yaakov's encounters (Bereshit 32:2-3,25-33), Bilam's Donkey (Bemidbar 22), and many others.
• The End of Days – According to Rambam, the prophecies regarding changes in nature in the end of days (such as Yeshayahu 11:6) should be understood allegorically, as referring to world peace, and not actual changes in the behavior of animals.

Exceptions – The Rambam is not consistent in his view of miracles, and understands other miracles to have happened in reality. These he understands to have been hard-coded exceptions to the laws of nature, planned already during the creation of the world – see below.

Purpose of Miracles – These miracles did not (or will not) affect reality, and as such only have meaning in conveying a prophetic message to the target of the dream or prophecy.

Unchanging Nature – The Rambam follows the Aristotelian view that nature is unchanging. Thus, Hashem does not interfere in nature, despite being able to do so.

Miracles Are Exceptions to the Laws of Nature

While laws of nature exist, and Hashem generally does not interfere with them, He occasionally does make exceptions, and causes miracles.

Sources:Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 3:1Bereshit Second Commentary 3:1Bemidbar 22:28About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakYehoshua 5:2Shemuel I 28:24Melakhim I 17:21About R. David Kimchi

Nature Is Entirely Miraculous

The laws of nature don't contradict miracles. The laws of nature need to be explained in a way that includes miracles.

There Are No Laws of Nature

There are no "laws" of nature, since everything is caused directly by Hashem's will, and may change at His desire.

Sources:RambanBereshit 6:19Bereshit 18:19Shemot 6:2Shemot 13:16Vayikra 26:11Bemidbar 11:22Devarim 11:13About R. Moshe b. Nachman

Miracles Are Hard-Coded Into the Laws of Nature

The laws of nature were pre-designed at creation to include certain exceptions, which are viewed as miracles.

Sources:Mishna AvotAvot 5:6About the Mishna, Bereshit Rabbah5:5-6About Bereshit Rabbah, RambamCommentary on the Mishna Avot 5:6Moreh Nevukhim 2 29About R. Moshe b. Maimon

¹ The citation of R. Saadia in Ibn Ezra does not match R. Saadia's own commentary, where he states that the snake was a specially modified snake which was given human characteristics in order to test Adam.

² Cf. Rambam, who takes the opposite approach, stating that angels do not exist in reality, and all mentions of them are part of dreams and prophecies.