Prayer for a hidden miracle?
Hi. I know that the Rabbi's opinion is that God does not intervene, but I am less convinced (and you yourself do not categorically deny this, but simply say that it is not evident, so apparently not).
But regardless of this, from a purely halakhic perspective – is it permissible for me to pray that the Ministry of Education will lose my exam booklet and therefore give me the Magen (submission grade) as a final grade? Is this actually a prayer for a hidden miracle (which is forbidden) or not?
(Perhaps the Rabbi could also answer what he thinks the definition of a hidden miracle is?)
Every divine intervention is a miracle. There is no intervention within the framework of nature. Regarding praying for a miracle, this principle is based on an error of the sages, and therefore I have no way of answering the question. See column 280, 464.
Regarding praying for a miracle, if it is based on an error, isn't it invalid?
I explained there that there is a factual assumption (that there are gaps in nature) and a normative determination (that one should not pray about a miracle, but only about gaps in nature). The norm is not based on a fact, but if they knew the fact, I don't know what they would determine normatively. Now I have come to the conclusion that there is an error in the factual assumption, and this raises a dilemma of what to do: accept the normative instruction and ask for nothing, or reject the normative instruction and continue praying.
I didn't understand what the point of rejecting the normative instruction is? I don't mean a prayer that is obligatory. But rather requests beyond the obligatory prayers.
Because in my opinion, if the Sages had known that there was no possibility of intervention within the framework of nature, they would undoubtedly have forbidden asking for a miracle (because that means not asking at all).
But I can raise such doubts about many normative instructions of the Sages and still it doesn't seem like people are canceling instructions of the Sages based on such doubts.
Because it means stopping requests in prayer, including in the obligatory prayers. This is a far-reaching step. This is also abrogation of a binding halachic instruction. So what is the scholar of the island of the island?
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