The Nature of Miracles

In this week’s portion we read about the magical breastplate of the High Priest, the one in which a parchment was hidden inside that contained the 42-Letter Name of G-d to activate the so-called magic.
If you are doing the Ana B’koach (42-Letter Name of G-d) properly, which means in the course of doing an action (helping yourself to manifest something) then you should be seeing what are called miracles regularly. If not, you should read The Genesis Prayer. Miracles, Nes (NS) are nothing more than a shift in reality, and we know our reality is nothing more than an illusion, so shifting it, while it seems to many like some great endeavor, is really nothing special at all, and takes no great effort on your part or on the part of the universe.
That said, much more happens when we initiate a miracle. As theBaal Shem Tov teaches when you cause a miracle to happen, you open up a channel for the whole world to follow. “Initially, a miracle is above nature [but] After the first time it happens, though, it becomes part of nature.” [You} opened up a new channel of bringing Divine beneficence into the world.”

The Hebrew word for miracle – nes (NS)- means elevated and when we spell out the letters nun and samech and add 2 for the kolel we get 228, the same as for Baruch, blessing, so we are in essence creating a blessing, by channeling the miracle. And if you prayed for (used the Ana B’koach to create) that miracle of behalf of others, you are in essence praising G-d, which is the the true higher level of prayer, the ones that according to the Baal Shem Tov, get answered first.

The Baal Shem Tov further explains that this is the same with studying and revealing new Torah incite: “This is what happened to the Beis Yoseph (Rabbi Yoseph Karo). He toiled and toiled until he reached an understanding of a certain text. But shortly afterwards he overheard someone saying that very same interpretation, and he became very upset. The Ari z”l explained to him, “You opened up the channel so that others can receive the same.”
“After a new channel of Divine effluence has been opened, whether this is a new channel of wisdom or a new channel of serving G–d, this becomes a natural path that causes a new path of material blessing to open as well.”
But being this powerful channel comes with new responsibilities as you may have already realized in your lives. You have elevated yourselves and the world and now you must do even more to maintain your new spiritual stature. The Baal Shem Tov continues, “However, one must not follow this new path in a rote way and remain stuck there. Instead, one must continue to ascend to higher levels to open up yet another new path.”
Whether it’s spreading miracles or our Torah knowledge and secrets we are all powerful channels now and have been given new and greater responsibilities to do more and continue blazing the paths for the world and our brethren. We all must make sure we are doing our part and B”H we will open the channels to bring Mashiach and the geula (final redemption) in their appropriate time for as many people as possible.
Shabbat Shalom