Brochas Daf Chof amud aleph

The Gemara asks why miracles were perfomed for the earlier generation of Mishnaic sages, but are no longer performed for "us" (the Amoraim, the Rabbis of the times of the Gemara.) It puts forward and rejects the suggestion that this could be a function of the scope or depth of Torah learning, both of which it concludes are conducted more impressively in the later period. (Interesting to consider how this fits in with the concept of Yeridos haDoros.) Instead it concludes that the "Mesiros Nefesh" (sel abnegation) of the earlier generation was of a higher order.

The Ben Yehoda observes that by being Moser Nefesh, we demonstrate that Olam haZeh is relatively speaking unimportant to us. This allows HKBH to change nature in this world to our benefit without taking away from us the rewards that have accrued to us in Olam haBa through our merits in this world. Were we not to have shown that this world was unimportant, the performance of Nissim (miracles) in the here and now would be to our detriment.

The Ben Yehoyada goes on to explain that on a Kabbalistic level being Mesiros Nefesh draws together the letter of HaShem's name, which is the vehicle through which G-d performs miracles. This is hinted at in a posuk from Tehillim (60:6) where we are told Nissim will be performed because of "koshet, " an acronym for "kedushaseha shimcha tov" "for the holiness of you good name" i.e. Hashem. Meanwhile, if these letters are not pulled together then HKBH deals with the world through the midda of Elokim, which is Teva (nature).