חדש באתר: NotebookLM עם כל תכני הרב מיכאל אברהם

Q&A: The Blessing of HaGomel Nowadays

Back to list  |  🌐 עברית  |  ℹ About
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

The Blessing of HaGomel Nowadays

Question

Today, when we know that nature is completely deterministic, is there still any place for reciting the blessing of HaGomel?

Answer

From my perspective, all expressions of thanks are for the creation of the world and its laws. The creation of the world and the establishment of its laws are what brought me the good that I received, and so this is an opportunity to give thanks for that. In principle, one could give thanks at any time, but psychologically we feel more comfortable doing so after we have received something joyful. For example, when someone gave you a book, you thank him not only when you received the book but also when you enjoyed reading it.
As an aside, I would only add that there may be sporadic interventions by the Holy One, blessed be He, in the world (I do not know how one confirms or denies such a claim). My claim is that this is probably not the regular course of nature. It operates deterministically.

By the way, this is a conclusion one must reach according to Maimonides' view of miracles (as part of the nature implanted in the world from its creation). See also Maharal's introduction to his book Gevurot Hashem, and my recorded lectures on miracles.

Discussion on Answer

Shimon Yerushalmi (2017-03-30)

Can I get a source for Maimonides' view regarding miracles?
Thanks

Michi (2017-03-30)

See Maharal there in the introduction.
I'm copying a few sources:

Yalkut Shimoni, Joshua, section 21:
"Sun, stand still at Gibeon"—this is what Scripture says: "My hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host." Rabbi Yonatan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, made conditions with the sea, that it should split for the children of Israel, as it says, "and the sea returned at daybreak to its strength"—to its condition. Rabbi Yirmiyah son of Rabbi Elazar said: It was not only with the sea that the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition, but with everything created during the six days of creation, as it says, "My hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host." I commanded the sea to split before the children of Israel. I commanded the sun and the moon to stand still before Joshua, as it says, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon." I commanded the heavens and the earth to be silent before Moses, as it says, "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak." I commanded the ravens to sustain Elijah, as it says, "and the ravens brought him bread." I commanded the fire not to harm Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. I commanded the lions not to harm Daniel. I commanded the heavens to open before Ezekiel, as it says, "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." I commanded the fish to vomit Jonah out, as it says, "And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out." This is what Scripture says: "I know that whatever God does, upon it nothing can be added, and from it nothing can be taken away."

Maimonides, chapter 8 of the Eight Chapters:
"In this the theologians disagree, for I have heard them say that the divine will applies to everything, time after time, continuously. But that is not what we believe. Rather, the will was at the six days of creation, and all things have proceeded according to their natures ever since, as it says: 'What has been is what will be'; 'And that which is to be has already been'; 'There is nothing new under the sun.' Because of this, the sages needed to say that all the miracles that depart from the ordinary course of the world, those that occurred and those destined to occur, were all willed in advance during the six days of creation, and it was placed then in the nature of those things that what later occurred would occur in them. And when it occurred at the proper time, people thought it was something that happened only then, but that is not so. They elaborated greatly on this matter in Midrash Kohelet and elsewhere. And their statement on this matter is: 'The world follows its usual course.' And you will always find throughout all their statements, peace be upon them, that they flee from attributing will to God in one thing after another and at one time after another."

Commentary on the Mishnah, Avot 5:5:
"I have already mentioned to you in the eighth chapter that they do not believe in a renewed act of will from time to time; rather, at the beginning of the making of things, it was placed in their nature that everything that would happen in them would happen—whether it was something that would occur constantly, and that is the natural thing, or whether it would occur only at distant intervals, and that is the miracle. Therefore he said that on the sixth day it was placed in the earth that it should swallow Korah and his congregation, in the well that it should bring forth water, in the donkey that it should speak, and so too the rest. And 'the writing' is the Torah written before Him, may He be exalted, as He said—and we do not know how—'and I will give you the tablets of stone, and the Torah and the commandment, which I have written, to instruct them.' And 'the inscription' is the writing that was on the tablets, as it says, 'and the writing was the writing of God.'
And perhaps you will say: if all miracles were placed in the nature of those things from the six days of creation, why were these ten singled out? Know that they were not singled out to say that there is no miracle placed in the nature of things from the six days of creation besides these; rather, he said that only these had their making at twilight, whereas all the other miracles were placed in the nature of the thing through which they were done at the beginning of its creation. For example, he said that on the second day, at the time when the waters were divided, it was placed in their nature that the Reed Sea would split for Moses, and the Jordan for Joshua, and likewise for Elijah and Elisha. And on the fourth day, when the sun was created, it was placed in it that it should stand still at a certain time by Joshua's command to it. And so too for the rest of the miracles, except for these ten. These were placed in the nature of those things at twilight."

Shimon Yerushalmi (2017-03-31)

Thanks, and more power to you!

השאר תגובה

Back to top button