Q&A: Providence
Providence
Question
Maimonides, Laws of Fasts 1:3: "But if they do not cry out and do not sound the trumpets, and instead say, 'This happened to us as part of the normal course of the world, and this distress is merely a chance occurrence,' this is a path of cruelty, and it causes them to cling to their evil deeds. And the distress will add other distresses. This is what is written in the Torah: 'If you walk with Me casually, then I too will walk with you with a fury of casualness.' That is to say: when I bring distress upon you so that you will repent, if you say that it is mere happenstance, I will add to you the fury of that happenstance."
I remember that once you showed that this Rambam does not conflict with your view. Can you point me to where? I vaguely remember you suggesting an explanation that this is a psychologically appropriate time.
Answer
I don’t remember. On the face of it, it does seem contradictory.
I don’t remember the explanation you mention. I do remember something similar regarding giving thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He, after a miracle. A miracle is a psychologically appropriate time to thank Him for the creation of the world and its laws, through which what happened came about.