Nature Or Marvel

There is a story of a stone that was found, and it seemed to have great power.  The scientists of the day couln’t identify it and it was sent to the Gaon.  He identified it as the סנפרינון mentioned in Chazal.  With this information in hand, someone wanted to say that he know understood how  קריעת ים סוף occurred.  Rashi (17:6) cites the midrash that the staff of Moshe was made of סנפרינון and therefore, he was able to cut his way through the water.  And with this argument he denied the miracle of קריעת ים סוף.  The Gaon said that’s why the possuk says (14:16) נטה את ידך על הים, the sea was split via the hand of Moshe, not with the staff (the story is cited in Rav Eleyahu Baruch, see what he isמדקדק  on it.)  It seems from this story that the Gaon held that it is important to view the splitting of the sea as a miracle, a supernatural event and minimizing the miracle is denying the validity of the Torah. 

It seems that the Baal Shem Tov had a different approach.  There is a story quoted in Baal Shem Tov on the Torah that there was once a person gong around claiming based upon his knowledge of science it made sense for the sea to split just as Klal Yisroel were walking through.  The Baal Shem Tov heard he was coming to town and he gathered all the townspeople into the shul.  He then proclaimed that it is Hashem who sets up the conditions of nature.  If it was natural for the sea to split specifically at that time, its because Hashem built into creation that the sea should be ready to split for Klal Yisroel.  The miracle of קריעת ים סוף is that Hashem set up nature for Klal Yisroel.  The Baal Shem Tov doesn’t view קריעת ים סוף being a natural occurrence as taking away from the miracle; it itself is (the greatest) miracle. 

The Baal Shem Tov is reminiscent of the Ramban at the end of Bo.  The Ramban asks why is yitzias mitzraim stresses so much in our religion, shabbos and yom tov are connected etc.?  He explains that the open miracles that occurred during that time serve as an indicator of the constant hashgacha that there is on the world.  “From the open miracles we can derive the hidden miracles.”  The point isn’t open miracles, but to recognize Hashem’s constant control of our life.  [This Ramban is a favorite of Rav Sacks, Rosh Yeshiva of Landers, he holds it is fundamental to our faith, hence he quotes it often and told his children to memorize it.]

I don’t what to make about this מחלוקת.  Any ideas?
Update: The Rebbe has a letter printed in the back of Likutay Sichos volume 31 where he believes this teaching of the Baal Shem Tov wasn't written correctly.  As we know, the Baal Shem Tov spoke in yiddish and sometimes the translators didn't translate properly.  As my father pointed out to me, this debate about how to view miracles already exists in the Rishonim and the view of Chassidim is normally to assume that miracles are indeed miracles.