Why are Miracles So Miraculous

For it says in Talmud, Taanit, First Chapter {8a} R’ Ammi said: “What is the meaning of the verse If the serpent bite before it is charmed vegomer {Eccl. 10:11} If {you see a generation over whom} the heavens are withheld vechulu let him go to the most pious man of that generation that he may pray vechulu but if he did pray softly and was answered and {on account of this} he becomes {overly} proud he {thereby} brings {divine} displeasure upon the world, as it is said: The cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up {Job 36:33} (1).” And my master asked: if he {the most pious man of the generation} he sinned, why is it the fault of the world that {his sin} causes divine displeasure? And he explained that it would have been appropriate that He who has commanded oil to burn will also command vinegar to burn as {did} R’ Chanina Ben Dossa {B. Talmud, Taanit 25a} and if all the people of the world would be operating by way of piety (2) it would not have been a wonder on one who commanded vinegar to burn and so it was, for everyone would have been able to do that, but {this is} not so because the people of the world walk by the whims of their wicked heart (3), and this {commending vinegar} does not work for them only for one of a generation that if he is answered in prayer its of a great wonder to them, and this is why he feels overly proud. If so, it {the pious man’s pride} is caused by his generation and the people of the world. This is why it brings displeasure to the {whole} world.

TYY 24c; 151d

The message is clear: there is a world of {what we would now conceive of as} magic out there. We could and should be in the magical world of “He who has commanded oil to burn will also command vinegar to burn.” All that it takes, is all the people of the world...

Bibliography:
TTY = Toldot Ya’akov Yosef Rabbi Yakov Yoseph of Polnoye (Koretz, 1780?)

Notes:
(1) The simple meaning of the verse is that the cattle through their greater sensitivity to atmospheric
conditions can feel in advance the coming of the storm. Here, the Talmud reads Mikneh in the sense of acquiring; it takes Af to mean anger; and Oyleh to mean elated {with pride}. The meaning of the verse according to this interpretation would be: Who brings upon the world divine displeasure? he who is overbearing with pride because his prayer was answered.
(2) The Besht uses the term chassidus {which I have translated -for lack of a better word- as piety} following the Talmudic term Chosid She’B’Dor, the most pious man of the generation. It is evident from the Talmud {ibid.} that the power of the most pious man to get answered stems from his piety. So when the miracle-working pious get proud, it brings up his generations lack of piety, which would they have been pious-the Besht explains- they would have been able to perform the same miraculous works.
(3) See TYY 151d where the charge is that they (i.e. we) “lack the faith that there is an almighty in this world he who commands oil to burn he is the one who can command vinegar to burn.”